LOWELL, Mass. — Police are investigating after a 30-year-old man was shot and killed in Lowell.
No arrests have been made in connection to the deadly shooting, but the victim's family is now looking for answers after the death of Jimmy Iem.
"Obviously words can't explain how I feel," Kim De La Cruz, the victim's sister, said. "We just want justice for my family, justice for my brother."
One woman who was friends with the victim said she was with him right before he was killed on Spring Avenue in Lowell Saturday.
Just spoke with the sister of Jimmy Iem, the man who was shot and killed in Lowell last night. She says they want justice and hope police will catch his killer. A growing memorial marks the spot where he was shot. I’ll have an update at 6:30PM on @boston25 pic.twitter.com/n63gRxp5Zd
— Litsa Pappas (@LitsaPappas) February 17, 2019
"He's a great guy, he's a joker," the victim's friend said. "He loves the kids, everybody loves him. He loves his family so much."
The friend said Iem went outside to grab his cell phone from his car before she heard shots fired.
"When I heard the gunshots, I thought it was just fireworks," the friend said. "I knew something was wrong, because all you hear is just the car leaving the scene, I guess."
The woman says she ran outside with a few other friends to try to help Iem as he was bleeding on the ground.
"He was just laying there, so I picked up his head because he was choking on his own blood," she said. "He was wheezing."
Growing memorial where a man was shot and killed in Lowell. One of the victim’s friends tells me what happened last night when he was shot. The victim’s sister tells me he was shot 8 times in the torso. Still no arrests. Details at 10 & 11PM @boston25 pic.twitter.com/nYae6ASmZu
— Litsa Pappas (@LitsaPappas) February 18, 2019
Iem was rushed to the hospital, where he was pronounced dead.
His sister said he was shot in the torso about eight times, and police are still searching for his killer.
"People are already talking," De La Cruz said. "I just hope the information comes forward and it's, you know, something concrete."
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Family and friends paid their respects Sunday by laying flowers, lighting candles and praying at the spot where Iem was killed.
He was one of six siblings, and leaves behind two young sons.
"All I ask is for prayers for my family at this time," De La Cruz said. "Just respect that people. Give us time to mourn over my brother's loss."
De La Cruz said she believes the shooting was gang related, and police said the incident doesn't appear to be random.
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