Gargus Candle Light Vigil
On Sunday a 17-year old Heath teen was accidentally shot and killed by his friend.
Tonight the community gathers together to mourn the loss of Tyler Gargus at a candlelight vigil.
"It’s not meant to be some kind of fancy ceremony," said Heath High School Principal Ellis Booth. "It’s rather just a simple sharing of feelings, emotions, thoughts and comments about the life of a good friend and what he meant to the many who knew him at
Heath High School.
It was a somber service at Heath High School. Hundreds of students and teachers gathered to remember not only a student and a classmate, but a great friend.
"Life takes funny turns and a week ago on Friday, in my class, Tyler and my class were helping me get ready for the pep rally," said a teacher of Tyler’s. "Anything I needed Tyler to do, as long as it wasn’t book work, he was going to be there and he was going to do it."
Teachers and students shared memories of their friend Tyler, a senior at the school, who’s life tragically ended Sunday.
"I just know that Tyler would always be there," said a close friend of Tyler’s. "Come hell or high water Tyler would hold me down. I don’t know any other way to say it."
The school had a hush over it this morning as a group of Tyler’s friends approached Principal Booth to ask about doing something special for their friend.
"Once they decided about 11:30 a.m. to put this together, I said, you’re going to have to get the word out," said Booth.
And they did.
Thanks to technology, students from Heath High School and others in the area received texts within an hour saying a vigil would be held this evening.
One of the organizers of the service is Zach Blake, a close friend of Tyler’s.
"We’ve been through a lot with each other from playing sports, to Working with each other and school," said Blake. "I was always there for him and he was always there for me. It’s just hard to stand here and talk about it."
"Tyler was just a nice kid as you may of heard, he was a tiny guy," said Booth. "Like his dad said, he may have weighed 115 lbs. soaking wet. He had this little grin on his face all the time and he was just a real nice kid.
16-year old Zachary Harvey appeared in Licking County Juvinile Court this afternoon, entering the equivalent of a guilty plea to one charge of negligent homicide.
Licking County Sheriff’s Captain Dave Starling says Harvey and Gargus were playing with a couple weapons Sunday afternoon, when one discharged, hitting Gargus in the face. Starling says Gargus was dead upon arrival of deputies.
A disposition hearing will be held in the next four weeks to determine a punishment for Harvey. He could face up to 90 days in jail and a $1,000 fine.
