On Nov. 15, 16-year-old Tyson “TJ” Harps, Jr. was laid to rest in Harlem, while his killer remains on the loose.
Harps, who lived in the Melrose, had been visiting friends in Crown Heights, Brooklyn, on Nov. 1 and was shot multiple times around 8:45 p.m. He was pronounced dead at the scene.
His funeral at Owens Funeral Home brought dozens of loved ones, including players and the coach of his Urban Justice League football team, where Harps was a linebacker.
During the service, which was later provided to the Bronx Times via Zoom recording, Harps’ football coach, Michael Hendricks Sr., said many young people on the team had played together since they were 12.
“[TJ] brought a very strong energy to our team,” Coach Hendricks said. “He might’ve made one block, but he made that block well worth it.”
He said sports were key to helping kids stay out of trouble and helped TJ turn his life around.
“We gotta save these kids, man,” Hendricks said. “I can’t stop the guns, I can’t stop anything. But if I can go out and grab a kid in the street and say, ‘Yo, come play football for me,’ I can do that.”
Harps was starting to get his grades up and had told his coach, “I’m back to reality,” according to Hendricks. But his journey was ultimately cut short.
Harps was set to attend Independence High School, a transfer school that “offered him a promising path toward graduating on time,” according to the funeral program.
“TJ cherished spending time with his loved ones — his family, siblings and friends. He relished family gatherings, football games, music, video games, and sharing laughter with those around him,” it said.
As several people carried Harps’ white casket and placed it in the hearse, a trumpeter played “Taps” and mourners released white and blue balloons, as blue was the teen’s favorite color.
They also released 17 doves — one for each year of Harps’ life, plus an extra.
Pastor Boyde Singletary and Pastor Cheryl Singletary, who presided over the funeral and assisted Harps’ family, lamented yet another Bronx teen killed — and the suspect appears to be a young man as well.
“This has to stop. Burying young people before their time,” said Cheryl Singletary after the service.
A GoFundMe organized to benefit Harps’ family has raised more than $8,700 so far.
Police are also still searching for the suspect who fled the scene on foot, described as a male with a dark complexion, approximately 5 feet 9 inches tall with a slim build. He was last seen wearing a hat, a gray hooded sweatshirt, a black jacket, gray sweatpants and black sneakers.
Anyone with information regarding the suspect is encouraged to call Crime Stoppers at 800-577-TIPS (for Spanish, dial 888-57-PISTA). You can also submit tips online at crimestoppers.nypdonline.org or on X (formerly Twitter) @NYPDTips. All calls and messages are kept confidential.
Reach Emily Swanson at eswanson@schnepsmedia.com or (646) 717-0015. For more coverage, subscribe to our newsletter and follow us on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram!
