The mother of a 17-year-old shot dead in East York in January pleaded for anyone with information about the incident to come forward so investigators can identify her son’s killer.

“I was leaving work and I came upon my son shot in the street. I came upon my son,” Ana Pavao said at a news conference held at Toronto police headquarters Wednesday morning.

“I was the one who called 911 and had I not been there my son would have died alone.”

On Jan. 4, just before 6 p.m., 17-year-old Joseph Petit had just returned to his home on Dentonia Park Avenue after a walk with his German shepherd when he met with two males in the neighbourhood. Following a brief conversation, police said a physical struggle ensued and one of the males shot Petit. Both suspects then fled the scene and headed in the direction of Victoria Park Station.

Pavao told reporters that she was walking home from work when she saw what she believed to be a person who had fallen down and went over to help.

It was then Pavao said she realized the person on the ground was her son.

“Joey was aware that I was with him for a little bit of time,” she told reporters as she fought back tears. “I was with him. He was aware that I was there and we were together. That’s all I can say on that.”

Petit was rushed to hospital in critical condition and placed on life support. At the time, police said Petit was shot in the neck at close range

Pavao and her family made the decision to take him off life support three days after the shooting.

When asked how that decision has affected her, Pavao said it was impossible to describe.

“You’d have to imagine it as your own child and that’s just not something parents do… parents don’t do that,” Pavao said.

Petit was a high school student with many friends who enjoyed cooking and being with family, she said. He had dreams of joining the Canadian military when he was older.

Det. Sgt. Giroux told reporters that Petit likely knew the person who shot him but that investigators do not have any leads on the suspects’ identities.

“There is no doubt that some of his friends and associates know exactly what happened to him on that particular day and will likely know the reason for the shooting taking place,” Giroux said.

He added that the motive was not a robbery, as had been suggested in the past, but that a pre-existing motive was likely.

Due to a lack of forensic evidence, Giroux said the investigation relies on eye-witness accounts.

“Quite frankly, we could have this person in custody by this afternoon. We just need that person to come forward,” he said.

Police have decided to offer a $50,000 reward for information that ultimately leads to an arrest and conviction in connection with Petit’s murder.

“Our child was murdered and there is no closure for that. We are incomplete. No amount of time will change that,” Pavao said as she paused to fight back tears. “Joey is never going to come back to us. He needs our help. Every son would want his family to know what happened to him.”