Family mourns Ricky Waters, the high school senior with a 'giggly smile' and career plans

Ricky Waters had plans for his life after high school.

“Ricky was going to graduate this year and he knew exactly what he wanted to do," Waters' grandmother Rhonda Walton told Knox News. "He told me that he really wanted to be a welder, and that is what he planned to do after he graduated from Fulton High School. He was going to go to welding school."

Waters, a senior from Fulton High School, was set to graduate in May.

His family is struggling to make sense of the shooting that left the 18-year-old dead at the scene.

Waters was found in his car at about 11:20 p.m. Saturday by Knoxville police officers responding to a report of a shooting. He had sufferedat least one gunshot wound, police spokesman Scott Erland said.

“He was loved so much by our family and we want to see justice served," Walton said. "He really loved his family, his brothers and sisters. I will miss his giggly smile and outgoing personality. He was a good kid. I’m just at a loss for words right now.”

Cousin Nikko Terry said although he and Waters grew up together, they developed a deeper connection in the last few years.

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"Even if he didn't know you, he still would give you a chance," Terry said. "He was just a good person to be around. He always motivated you, he always wanted to lift you up."

A GoFundMe has been set up by the family under Waters' name to help pay for funeral expenses.

"Ricky always kept a smile on his face, Ricky always worked a job," Terry said. "How can I word this? He was always, 'Keep focused and you can achieve anything.' He accomplished his goals — and he loved his family."

Walton said Waters played basketball at Austin-East High School before transferring to Fulton last year.

"We were deeply saddened to learn of the death of one of our students over the weekend," Fulton High School Principal Seth Smith said Monday in a prepared statement. "Our condolences and thoughts go out to the family, friends, and school community affected by this heartbreaking loss."

Counselors will be available for students and staff throughout the week to provide support as needed, Smith said.

According to Erland, multiple people ran away from the parking lot in Montgomery Village in the Vestal neighborhood after the shooting. Responding officers saturated the area, established a large perimeter and tried tracking with a K-9, but no suspects were located, Erland said.

Waters' shooting remains an active investigation by the KPD Violent Crimes Unit. Anyone with information is urged to contact East Tennessee Valley Crime Stoppers by phone at 865-215-7165, online at easttnvalleycrimestoppers.org, the P3 Tips mobile app or by texting **TIPS. Tipsters can remain anonymous and can be eligible to receive a cash reward.

This article originally appeared on Knoxville News Sentinel: Ricky Waters: Knoxville student killed in shooting was set to graduate