The family of a Bridgeport 12-year-old boy who was fatally shot walking home from the store says they're disappointed about a plea deal given to the accused gunman.

Clinton Howell was killed during a drive-by shooting outside of their home a week before Christmas 2018.

"It hurts. I cannot even express the pain. It's like a hole is there that will never be filled," said Cynthia Dawkins.

Police say the victim's cousin, who was walking with him, had been the intended target.

The family says they were dealt an additional blow on Tuesday, when the alleged gunman, 22-year-old Tajay Chambers, agreed to plead guilty to a reduced charge of manslaughter, which would carry a 20 to 35-year sentence.

The family says they had been hoping for a jury trial on a murder charge with special circumstance, which could have carried a sentence of life without release.

"I always said I didn't agree with nothing but murder, because he murdered my son. I don't understand how they came to manslaughter — because that was point-blank murder," said Dawkins.

The family lost a second son five months ago when 25-year-old Reggie Dawkins died unexpectedly after years of suffering from muscular dystrophy.

"No, it's not justice because we know what was in the table and what could have been, as far as a murder charge — and to know that it got reduced to manslaughter, it doesn't feel like justice to us at all," said brother, Gamel Dawkins.