OTTAWA, Kan. – Family members of an Ottawa teen who was shot and killed by police Saturday told FOX 4 about the man they say they’ll deeply miss.
Brandy Smith says her nephew, 18-year-old Joseph Jennings, was a funny person with a lot of friends and family who loved him.
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Smith said, “The world lost a very smart kid with a lot of potential. A very caring young man.”
She said Jennings was going through some rough times.
“He did suffer from anxiety and depression but he was a good kid,” she said.
Jennings’ sister, Hope, said Joseph grew up in the foster care system.
“Honestly, he didn’t have the best childhood growing up. His dad wasn’t there. His mom, she was never there. He got taken away from her and it was probably for the best,” she said.
Smith said the animal-loving 18-year-old didn’t let that hold him back.
“He aged out of the system. And that’s how I said he beat all the odds. Finished high school, went to college, got grants to go to college and was doing great,” Smith said.
She also said what happened Saturday night was out of character for Jennings, though he was struggling recently.
“He tried to overdose the day before. They pumped his stomach. That was unsuccessful. We got him out, brought him out, kept a close eye on him,” she said.
Both women believe Jennings “wanted” the cops to shoot him.
Smith said she told police on scene Saturday, “’He’s wanting you to shoot him. Don’t do it. He needs mental help. Don’t do it.’ They knew he needed mental help.”
His sister said, “He was going haywire. He didn’t know what to do, he didn’t know what to think, he didn’t know what he was doing. “
Two women hurting, missing a brother and a nephew; a family sharing many questions as they think about the young man they lost.
“It’s not going to be easy,” said Smith.
“Why not just shoot him in the arm, in the leg? So that he would go down? Why did you have to kill him? He didn’t even have a chance. He was just screaming out for help,” said his sister, Hope.
The family told FOX 4 that Jennings made all A’s in high school and graduated top of his college welding class.