Child’s bike is robbed at gunpoint; Vicksburg community helps to get him a new one

VICKSBURG, Miss. (WLBT) - “I love riding bikes. I ride every time I get out of school," said 13-year-old Kofi Louis. That’s his favorite thing to do in Vicksburg.

But on Monday, he wasn’t the only one outside.

“[Some people were] walking down the street where I was riding my bike and then they told me to get off the bike. They said ‘You got 30 seconds to get your stuff off here before I push you off,’" said Louis.

With a shove, they took his bike. Louis followed them.

“Then he pulled a gun out on me," said Louis. "I just slowly walked back.”

“You’re actually frustrated," said Michael Louis, Kofi’s father. “You’re wondering how could something like this happen to your son?”

The Louis family went to the police to report what happened. His sister, Alecia Louis, went on Facebook to share the news.

Vicksburg resident Linda Shows saw the post.

“It actually broke my heart and I couldn’t even imagine that happening. Every child needs a bicycle," said Shows.

She asked others to help pitch in for a new bike. Vicksburg Police also got involved, and they went to Walmart to buy it.

When the store manager realized what was going on, she decided to donate a bike and other accessories to Louis.

“The outpouring of the community was the most grateful thing that I’ll be in forever debt to," said Michael Louis.

“I may have got the ball rolling but it took all of us. It shows the strength of a community and I wish I would see more of it. Hopefully we will,” said Shows.