Denise Rosch reporting

It's something no one thinks is dangerous, something thousands of kids do every day. But for one local freshman, the walk home from school turned deadly last year.

Now, the teen who pleaded guilty to gunning down 15-year-old Chris Privett in a drive-by shooting is headed to prison.

"First off, uh, Privett family, I don't know how to apologize for taking your son's life away. Ya know, sorry ain't gonna cut it. But that's all I've got to tell you. I'm sorry."

It was a ten second apology for a crime that ended the life of a teenage boy: Palo Verde freshman Chris Privett was killed while walking home from school.

The admitted gunman, 17-year-old Gerald Davison, was sentenced Monday to 28 years to life in prison.

"We don't think murder is anything anymore. It's a crazy world," says Michael Privett, Chris' father. "Why do we allow violence such as this to exist in our country? Why doesn't someone do something to stop it?"

Chris' death happened back in February of last year. He and several friends had just left campus when the car Davison was riding in slowly drove past. Davison would later say he thought he saw someone in the group throw gang signs.

He then opened fire, killing Chris and narrowly missing a second boy, Dana Carter's nephew.

"You left my nephew holding his dying friend in his arms forever remembering his last words: ‘I'm hit,'" says Carter.

Although Monday's sentencing brings an end to a year-and-a-half court fight for the Privett family, nothing will change what happened along that stretch of Alta Drive. Their teenage son will never grow up and their pain will never go away.

"I keep hoping that someday Chris will walk in the door and say, ‘Hi mom.' Or that I'll open the bedroom door and see him lying on the bed.  But I know that's not going to happen," says Barbara Privett, Chris' mother.

In August, a second teen arrested for Chris' murder was sentenced for his role. Ezekial Williams will serve at least eight years in prison for being the driver.

As for Davison, prosecutors say his sentence could have been much tougher, if not for a recent decision by state lawmakers to reduce the penalty for use of a deadly weapon.

"If this crime was done a year ago, he would've got 40 (years) to life," explains prosecutor Giancarlo Pesci. "I don't quite see the wisdom of cutting in half the time a murderer can do, but that's what the legislature did so that's what we're stuck with."

Although Davison looked almost bored during most of Monday's hearing, his family members sobbed as they left court - evidence of yet another family destroyed by one senseless act.

Gerald Davison will be 45 years old when he becomes eligible for parole.