"It feels like yesterday because it's just so unbelievable that he's gone," Janet Cooksey said.
Half a decade after losing her son, Cooksey is still steadfast in making sure his memory is kept alive.
"I can't wrap my mind around he's gone. You know, when he did the things he's supposed to do right in life," Cooksey said.
RELATED: Police board votes to fire Robert Rialmo, officer who shot Quintonio LeGrier, Bettie Jones in 2015
LeGrier's mother held a small balloon release and memorial Saturday in her son's honor.
"He was a loving person. He was a respectful person," Cooksey said. "Just remembering who he was as a person, that makes me smile."
LeGrier was in his second year of college when he was killed.
At the time, authorities said the 19-year-old was experiencing a mental health crisis, and his father called 911.
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COPA releases video of bar fight involving CPD Officer Robert Rialmo
Rialmo said the teenager, who was armed with a baseball bat, swung at him twice, and Rialmo opened fire.
One of the bullets intended for LeGrier killed 55-year-old Jones.
But Cooksey said that's not the entire story
"They're saying that Quintonio attacked Robert Rialmo, when there were three witnesses that saw Robert Rialmo shoot from the sidewalk," she said.
Rialmo was later fired from CPD. But Cooksey said she is still fighting for the truth.