A King County family is mourning the loss of a man killed this week on I-5 in Federal Way.
Patriot Ryan Lemay, 19, died after he was stabbed in the neck while riding in a car with three others.
“I’m trying not to cry because I don’t want to think that he’s gone. I can’t believe he’s gone,” said Candi Lemay, Patriot’s mother.
[GoFundMe: To help Patrot’s family with his final expenses]
Candi told KIRO 7 she is at a loss for words. Candi says her son was murdered when he was just starting his life.
“He was a great kid, a great kid. He really was. Me and him, me and him are in sync with each other. We were very close,” Candi explained.
Candi and her daughter Morgan are still trying to understand why this happened.
Morgan described her big brother as loving and caring.
“He was very sweet. He was always willing to help someone. No matter what,” Morgan added. “I was never left alone. He was always there. He was always making stupid jokes and making someone laugh.”
According to the Washington State Patrol, the cause was a fight with weapons in one car.
According to Trooper Rick Johnson, 911 received calls about a “domestic violence incident” involving a car in a ditch on Wednesday around 3 p.m., with people screaming for help because someone was injured.
Officers arrived and found four injured people in and around a black BMW. Unfortunately, Patriot had died from his injuries.
“I thought to myself, how could anyone do this to him. He was the most wonderful person. There were times when I would call him between two and three in the morning and just need to talk to someone. He would say, ‘I’m here for you,’” said close family friend Carla Ajuayo.
WSP revealed Friday that the passenger who was shot is the suspect. He is charged with second-degree murder and assault.
The suspect remains hospitalized and will be booked into the King County Jail once he is cleared to leave.
