Friends and family are opening up about a deadly shooting in Altoona Wednesday night that claimed the life of a 16-year-old boy.

The details are limited. The victim's own friends and family are unable to say much, but they are speaking out; remembering the life tragically taken from them.

"I knew something went wrong because I felt like something left me," said Kenneth McElhinney, the victim's brother. "A piece of me just broke off. I can't explain."

"I sprinted down here as fast as I possibly could, and I just broke down," said the victim's friend, Michael Alexander. "I lost it. I bawled my eyes out for hours."

Police haven't released many details about the fatal shooting that killed JesseMcElhinney, but his family spoke to 6 News Thursday recalling what they were allowed to say.

"It was just an ordinary night. I was just hanging out with my friends and stuff," said Kenneth McElhinney. "Things went wrong. They just went downhill."

Jesse and Kenneth McElhinney have lived with their grandparents along East 3rd Street in Altoona for nearly 10 years. Their grandfather said he heard the gunshot Wednesday night. When the family went upstair, it found Jesse McElhinney was dead.

"I saw it. It's never going to be the same without him, but he's always with us," said Kenneth McElhinney. "He's with mom and dad now."

"He's always in my heart forever now, and I'm going to think about him every day," said Alexander. "He was legit like one of my little brothers."

While they struggle to understand how it happened, they said they're not placing the blame on anyone.

"Shawn is a great kid, and he's one of our best friends," said Kenneth McElhinney.

He said rumors have spun out of control on social media sites, and that's why he's asking for all rumors be laid to rest while police finish their investigation.

"The people who think they know what's going on -- they have no idea," said Kenneth McElhinney. "I just ask them to stop. Just stop. Please stop. You're doing nothing but causing everyone more hurt."

6 News reached out to the Altoona School District Thursday, which said there will be grief counselors available when students come back from holiday break.