A large crowd honored Armoni Bennett on Thursday night between the seventh- and eighth-grade volleyball games at Bloomington Junior High School [BJHS].
Armoni was a manager for the teams and an eighth-grader at BJHS. He was one of three victims in the Lee Street killings last weekend, along with his mother, Chelsea Lusher, and her best friend, Trina Hollings
Attendees wore pink for Armoni “because it was his favorite color,” a BJHS teacher said.
Armoni’s father, Allante Bennett, was in attendance and was greeted with flowers from each of the BJHS volleyball players.
During honoring remarks, school officials announced their annual volleyball invitational will be renamed the Armoni Bennett Memorial Tournament.
People in attendance were encouraged to engage in a moment of fellowship in replacement of a moment of silence. A moment of silence would not have been “Armoni’s style,” said BJHS volleyball coach Mark Tippett.
Throughout the volleyball games a memorial for Armoni was on display in BJHS. Students and match attendees could see photos and drawings of Armoni along with a tribute video made by students and teachers.
Allante Bennett has set up a GoFundMe in memory of his son.
