Loved ones gather at balloon release to honor father killed in Saenger Theatre shooting

MOBILE, Ala. (WKRG) — Green and black balloons filled the sky in honor of Carl Williams III, who was killed Sunday night during a children’s dance recital in Mobile’s Saenger Theatre.

Dozens of people gathered at Doyle Park in Mobile to remember Williams’ legacy, saying this life was taken too soon. His two daughters, Cherish and Brooklyn, are now left without a father.

“I wish he never died,” Cherish said to the crowd when asked to speak about her dad.

Williams was an avid Philadelphia Eagles and Florida Gators fan, so he always loved the color green.

Family, friends and those who knew him dearly said he was not only a joy to be around but also always demonstrated great character.

“I just want to tell all my young people, like, let’s get right with God because one thing we know that before he left here, he knew God,” a friend of Williams said. “He did not leave here sad, so we’re going to continue on that legacy. We’re going to be happy. We’re going to love on each other. We’re going to continue on what Carl would want us to do.”

A 2015 alum of B.C. Rain High School, Williams had his own clothing line and was a role model for students who wanted to go down the same path.

“Omari is my 16-year-old son, and Carl took him under his wing and was helping him start his own clothing line,” one woman said. “So when he took his fashion class in school, they told him to choose a famous designer, and he called his cousin, and he said he wanted to do the project on him.”

“Everybody knew who Carl was — and what he was to us,” a former classmate said. “All of the jokes, everybody knew Carl as humble. We knew a completely different side to Carl, but Carl was our friend, and he didn’t deserve that.”

“He’s been a friend to all of us,” Williams’ friend Darius Howard said. “More like a brother to all of us. So coming like from 2015, class man, everything was always jokes. You never seen him down. You never seen him frowning.”

Since losing her brother, Williams’ sister Destiny said that the overwhelming amount of support is what made this process a bit better for her family.

“I knew everyone loved my brother, but for me to see it with my own two eyes, it’s amazing,” Destiny said.

Williams’ family is still working on finalizing funeral arrangements. It plans to lay him to rest June 14.