Funeral service held for 15-year-old Jahmari Rice

Family held a private visitation Wednesday morning for Rice, who was shot and killed outside the South Education Center in Richfield on Feb. 1.

RICHFIELD, Minn. — A week after Jahmari Rice was shot and killed outside of his Richfield school, funeral services were held for the 15-year-old on Wednesday afternoon.

Rice was one of five students walking outside of the South Education Center on Feb. 1 when police say an argument started between two groups, and an 18-year-old started shooting.

At a vigil the day after his death, Rice’s mother Shyrese James described her son as a straight-A student and star football player who “never wanted to see anybody hurt, he always tried to help.”

Family gathered privately for a visitation Wednesday morning at Hope Presbyterian Church in Richfield. The funeral for Rice begins at 1 p.m.

Cortex Rice, Jahmari’s father, is currently jailed on a probation violation but was granted a furlough to attend his son’s funeral services.

Two men have been charged with second degree murder in connection to Rice’s death, 18-year-old Fernando Valdez-Alvarez and 19-year-old Alfredo Rosario Solis. Two other students were injured in the shooting: a 19-year-old had minor injuries and a 17-year-old was in critical condition.

South Education Center, a specialized school part of ISD #287, was closed to students in the days following the shooting. Superintendent Sandy Lewandowski promised that robust mental health services and resources will be available to students and their families as the district continues to grieve.

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