Hundreds of people attended the funeral for slain Toronto teen Jordan Manners.

The 15-year-old was fatally shot in his north end Toronto high school just over a week ago.

More than 800 people gathered Wednesday morning at Christian Centre Church at 4545 Jane St. where the funeral is being held.

Loudspeakers were set up outside the church to accommodate those unable to get inside, and a large crowd stood in the parking lot listening to Amazing Grace playing during the ceremony.

Inside, many were in tears during the emotional service. Jordan's mother Lorraine Small was overcome with emotion as she bent over and kissed her son's casket, supported by friends and family.

Family members said Jordan was raised to aspire to a better life, and to one day lift himself out of the poor, violence-plagued Toronto neighbourhood in which he lived.

"If you met Jordan, I'd give you two minutes before your face was full of smiles. Two minutes at the maximum," Greg Stokes, the boy's uncle, said.

"You couldn't help it. You couldn't fight it. I don't care if you were ticked off at that moment. The second he stepped in front of you and you saw those eyes, that smile, you couldn't stay mad."

Tears flowed freely as one of the speakers encouraged the crowd to chant Jordan's name so that he would never be forgotten.

Stokes asked mourners to keep Jordan's memory alive.

"The question is now what can we do to keep his memory and his name around forever, so people don't forget. He's not a statistic, he's not just another child that died from violence. This is Jordan.''

Wendy Banhan, one of Jordan's former teachers, remembered him as an articulate, artistic boy who was "fun and always honest."

"I had the privilege of teaching Jordan in Grade 4 and 5. In this time I had the joy of watching him develop into an amazing young person," she said.

"He was the kind of student who stood out. He gave back to his teachers. You had to love his sense of humour and his sense of curiosity."

Jordan's grandfather was too emotional to speak, but a statement was read on his behalf.

"He would have had a lot to offer society and should have grown up to be a man. And I trust and hope it never happens to anyone else. Jordan loved basketball and his favourite player was Michael Jordan, who wore number 23. Ironically it was on the 23rd of this month that Jordan was gunned down."

Family makes appeal

One day earlier, Jordan's family made a tearful appeal to the Ontario government to launch an inquest and called for the appointment of a commissioner of youth.

Jordan's mother said the family is devastated by the loss and she urged the public to use the tragedy as motivation for change.

"I'm asking for all your support, please don't let my son die in vain," Small said on Wednesday.

"He was on his way to being somebody and was the one who could have made a difference for me in my old age," Small said.

Jordan's uncle, aunt and the family's lawyer, Courtney Betty were also on hand to address the media.

The family currently has a petition and online initiatives started in the hopes of motivating the government to act.

Manners' uncle Greg Stokes urged the public and the media to focus on the underlying issues that motivate gun violence in Toronto and to not let Jordan's death be forgotten.

"If we close our eyes and turn our back, it will happen again and we're responsible and we owe it to the generation that is coming up," Stokes said.

Betty, the family's lawyer, said the government has a duty to launch an inquest in the social issues that plague youth today.

"We are simply asking that individuals in positions of authority do what is right," Betty said.

Betty said he is tired of representing mothers who have lost their children or who have had children injured by acts of violence.

"Our view is unless something is done -- and it's not an 'if', it's a matter of when -- there will be another circumstance," Betty said.

Two 17-year-old boys have been charged with first-degree murder in the shooting that took place at C.W. Jefferys Collegiate Institute, near the intersections of Keele Street and Finch Ave, a week ago.

The youths cannot be identified under the Youth Criminal Justice Act, but police say they were "probably" Jordan's friends.

Crown prosecutors said they will seek adult sentencing should the two suspects be found guilty in Jordan's death.

With a report from CTV's John Musselman and files from The Canadian Press