Community mourns loss of Jackson-Olin High School student

BIRMINGHAM, Ala ( WIAT ) — Birmingham City School leaders and the community are grieving the loss of a Jackson Olin High School student.

Gerald Lomax Jr. was shot Tuesday night and died the following day . There have been no arrests in the shooting.

School officials say they are heartbroken and devastated. Over the next few days, the school will have their crisis management team ready to help both students and staff who knew him.

"A life of so much promise has been stricken down far too soon," said Birmingham City School Board President Jason Meadows.

Lomax is not just being remembered as a 17-year-old football player at Jackson-Olin High School, but as an outstanding student with so much potential.

"He was a young man who cared about others," said Meadows.

Meadows said the school's crisis management team has been speaking to both students and staff following the news of Lomax's passing Wednesday.

"Those who are closely connected to Mr. Lomax, they are devastated," said Meadows

Police said he was shot while sitting in a car at 54th street and 2nd avenue near Woodlawn High School Tuesday night.

Young adult, teen found shot to death inside car in Birmingham

Greif counseling is extending outside of the classroom, too.

"It's imperative that kids have an appropriate outlet," said Dr. Jeffrey Moore, psychologist at J.R. Moore & Associates.

Moore said they've seen an influx in children and students affected by gun violence, saying this kind of grief should not be normalized.

"It could be a systemic grieving process. This might trigger the grieving of a close relative as well. I think it's important that not only the community, but the family has these conversations because this is happening too regularly. Kids need to have a proper outlet, we don't need to just normalize it and not have a conversation," said Moore.

If you have any information leading to an arrest in this shooting, you are encouraged to speak up and call Crime Stoppers 205-254-7777.