Crime
Grandmother of 8-year-old shooting victim forgives killer
November 26 while driving Swan Avenue near Kingfisher Avenue in Baton Rouge, Los Angeles, 8-year-old Diellon Daniels died in a drive-by shooting. Now the boy’s grandmother, Erica Rayford, is forgiving and urging the shooter to show himself in to authorities, WAFB/Gray News reports.
“Yes, you committed a crime,” Rayford said. “Yes, you took a life, but there remains to be hope because you might be still alive. We cannot see Dill anymore. They can see their family. Just admit what you probably did. Change your life. You never know what might occur.
Unfortunately, Diellon’s death will not be the one charge facing the shooter. At the time of the incident, Courtlyn Daniels, Diellon’s mother, who she was pregnant on the timeshe was in her vehicle along with her five children. Three people were injured within the shooting.
Courtlyn Daniels gave birth to her eighth child.
Baton Rouge Police Chief TJ Morse said: Daniels’ family was caught in what gave the impression to be a targeted shooting. According to Morse, the automobile was hit 20-30 times, as evidenced by shell casings found on the scene.
The family struggles with uncertainty and financial problems. Courtlyn raises funds for Diellon’s burial while attempting to make sense of the tragedy.
“I unexpectedly lost one of my beloved eight, one of my little boys, to senseless gun violence. “I experienced a pain that no mother should have to endure, that of losing a child, especially to gun violence,” she wrote in a GoFundMe post.
If you desire to to donate to cover Diellon’s funeral costs click here. As of the afternoon of December 5, the campaign had raised over $35,000; the goal was $15,000.