A tearful vigil and demand for change: Family and friends gather to honor Ingraham shooting victim

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s school let out Wednesday afternoon and students began to trickle out of Ingraham High School, more than 50 students and family members marched by, waving signs and chanting.

“We need justice,” they shouted. “Justice for Ebenezer!”

When the group reached the front of the school, their cries went silent to give Ebenezer Haile's mom, Tsedale Woldemariam, a moment, as emotion overtook her.

She hadn't been back to the north Seattle school since she dropped her son off that early November morning. An hour later, Haile was killed.

Woldemariam started to weep, bending over in pain at one point as she clutched her younger son's hand. He, too, started to cry, and she pulled him into an embrace.

Family members and friends joined in, patting their shoulders and wrapping their arms around them. Others, whether they knew Haile or not, tearfully looked on.

They had gathered for a march and vigil to remember Haile almost six months after a fellow classmate allegedly shot Haile five times in the back in a hallway at Ingraham on Nov. 8.

Haile was 17 and on track to graduate this year.

King County prosecutors have filed charges against two teenagers for their alleged involvement in the shooting. A 14-year-old is being held in juvenile detention awaiting a June hearing to determine whether he’ll be tried as an adult for first-degree murder.

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Attendees, many of whom wore white T-shirts with a photo of Haile, also called on schools and lawmakers to keep kids safe from gun violence.

Mesfin Bulti said he last saw Haile at Sunday church, two days before he was murdered. Bulti is a pastor at Life in Christ Ethiopian Evangelical Church in Lynnwood, where Haile’s family worshiped.

Bulti remembered Haile as a charming, loveable boy who made everyone laugh. He said Haile was always helpful and respectful.

Society needs to learn from his death, Bulti said.

“Losing him is heartbreaking for all of us, especially his mom,” Bulti said. “This must be stopped … Schools must be free of guns. Kids need protection.”

Elrohi Shuge has gone through a lot since immigrating to the U.S. from Ethiopia at the age of 8. But none of it compared to the heartbreaking loss of her “little cousin,” who she spent every day tutoring last summer.

“I was really devastated because I’ve never wanted to see somebody succeed more than Ebenezer because I knew the potential and the mind he had was so bright,” she said. “And he was so excited to graduate.”

A recent University of Washington graduate, Shuge said Haile’s death has inspired her to go on to law school and study public policy so that she can fight against gun violence.

Beyond stricter gun laws, some at Wednesday’s vigil also called on Seattle Public Schools to do more to prevent future school shootings.

The district launched a safety initiative in response to Haile’s death last fall. Since then, Ingraham families have continued to press the district for more information. Several parents spoke out at the Seattle School Board meeting Wednesday.

Carla Holmes, the parent of a sophomore at Ingraham, told the board that an event like the shooting “requires ongoing communication and updates specific to safety.” Instead, parents like Holmes are still waiting for another update that had been promised to come in March.

“Given the traumatic, violent act that happened in our children’s school, we cannot stand by waiting indefinitely for the district to take action,” she said. “The lack of urgency by the district is extremely disappointing.”

In Superintendent Brent Jones’ last update in February, he said the district was focused on conducting safety reviews of all school campuses, updating all building locks, and creating “consistent” safety signage inside schools.

Jones also said the district was in the process of launching a community action team — including SPS leaders, officials from the city and police department, and other community groups — to improve safety in schools and surrounding neighborhoods. The district is also launching a wellness council to support students’ mental health.

Jones pledged to give another update to the community in March. As of Wednesday, district leaders had not published another update.

At the school board meeting, Jones said an update is “forthcoming.” Jones also said he’s working with Ingraham principal Martin Floe to schedule a school-specific meeting with the Friends of Ingraham family-parent group.

“Supporting student and staff wellness continues to be one of the top priorities of Seattle Public Schools and Ingraham High School,” a district spokesperson said in a statement. “The school staff and SPS safety and security personnel are dedicated to preventing and responding to safety issues.”