Only on 9: Family of 22-year-old mother killed in Orlando shooting speaks about loss

ORLANDO, Fla. — 22-year-old Macayla Patterson was the light and the prankster of her family.

Now, her family is left with only memories to share with her boys, just four and five years old.

“They don’t understand that mama ain’t coming back,” Patterson grandmother, Secarmel Gaines said.

Patterson’s family agreed to speak exclusively with Eyewitness News, 10 days after she was shot and killed.

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A fight occurred moments before the shooting that killed her.

Someone in the crowd was live on Facebook showing the tragic moments leading up to Patterson’s death.

“It’s just hard to digest, " said Mike Gaines.

Mike Gaines is Patterson’s favorite uncle and the father of Devin Gaines.

Devin was also shot during this chaotic scene at Jernigan Gardens apartments on Mercy Drive.

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“They like siblings,” Gaines said.

Devin’s still in the hospital.

“[he] sustained enough that you know, it’s surprising that he’s still here,” Gaines said.

Gaines just learned yesterday that his best friend and cousin didn’t survive.

“I just told my son yesterday, what happened,” Gaines said. “He had a lot going on, he’s had five surgeries so far.”

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So far Orlando police have arrested 23-year-old Delray Duncan for the shooting.

“OPD knows what their cameras saw,” Gaines said. “There’s another person that needs to be arrested.”

Guns were pulled out during a fight and now two boys are without a mom and a family is figuring out how they move forward.

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“She was just a beautiful spirit,” Secarmel Gaines said. “She was beautiful.”

“Beautiful people seem to not last that long on this earth,” Mike Gaines said.

Since Patterson’s shooting, there have been two other reported shootings in the complex. Two other people were also injured in the shooting we’re still waiting to get an update on them.

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