DES MOINES, Iowa — The Carter family is searching for answers after Michael Carter Jr. was killed at Biggz Big World over the weekend.
Biggz Big World is an annual hip-hop music festival that raises awareness for mental health.
The Carter family told Local 5 they are experiencing anger, sadness and confusion two days after Carter’s death, which the Polk County Sheriff’s Office is investigating as a homicide.
“It hurts every night,” Michael’s brother Ronald Carter said. “We cried countless tears. We’ve had many restless nights since this happened.”
Michael started heading to the Biggz Big World music festival around 7 p.m. after work on Saturday. According to the Polk County Sheriff’s Office he was shot at the festival around 7:30 p.m. that night.
“My brother went to the event to support locally owned businesses and the local mental health crisis that's plaguing our city and plaguing our community,” Ronald said.
Beyond that, the family said, not much else is known on their end.
“I got the call shortly before eight that he had got shot, and so he couldn't have been at the event that long,” Michael’s ex wife Temerra Donnelly said.
No one else from the Carter family was at the community event that evening.
“All I keep thinking about is him being shot in his chest, laying on that ground, dying and kept breathing, and he's choking on his own blood, and he later died,” Donnelly said.
At this point, the family said they’re left with more questions than answers. They are wondering what happened that night and who all was involved.
The family hopes to get closure, and encourages anyone with information to reach out to the Polk County Sheriff’s Office at 515-286-3333.
“I'm hoping that somebody recorded it, and if they did... send it in to the sheriff’s office,” Michael’s grandmother Allene Meadors said.
Local 5 reached out to the sheriff’s office on Monday to get additional details on how the situation started and how it escalated. The office was unable to provide additional details, saying they are still piecing everything together