SAN DIEGO -- Dozens of friends and family members held a surfer's paddle-out Thursday night in Mission Beach in honor of Garrett Berki, who was fatally shot last week during a robbery.

Friends and relatives taking part met at the family's home on the beach, and then gathered together for a brief prayer. One friend led the group and said, "Tonight we paddle out as a last hurrah for Garrett Berki. He's going to live on forever."

As more than a dozen young men and women ran with their surfboards into the chilly waters, Garrett's mother, Connie, told 10News she felt a "lot of love, and it feels good. It does, it feels really good. All these kids loved him."

His sister, Monica, said, "Garrett loved the water and just going out there felt like … I just felt free. I felt good."

On the evening of May 11, police said Garrett Berki and his girlfriend met three teenagers in Paradise Hills to buy a laptop computer that was advertised on the Craigslist website. However, the supposed sellers robbed them at gunpoint, taking cash and cell phones, police said.

The three teens drove away, with Berki and his girlfriend following them west on state Route 54 in an attempt to get a license plate number, police said. They followed the trio into a cul-de-sac on Artemia Way, and then police said the trio made a U-turn until the cars were facing each other. Police said when one of teens fired a single shot at Berki's car. Berki was struck in the chest and later died.

The three teens -- Rashon Abernathy, Seandell Jones and Shaquille Jordan -- were arrested and charged with murder and robbery. They are each being held on $5 million bail.

Each is 17 years old, but authorities said they will be tried as adults.

If convicted, they face 50 years to life in prison.

Connie Berki said, "Everybody lost him. It wasn't just us. And everybody did lose him. They lost a great person."