BUFFALO, N.Y. (WBEN) - The mother of the 3-year-old boy who was killed in a shooting on Donovan Drive on July 5 said the people involved in the shooting have ruined her life.
"The people that did this, you guys took a beautiful soul from us," Danetta Jenifer said Thursday at MLK Park. "I will never be able to get to hear him say 'because one thing about it'. That was his favorite line and his favorite saying. You all really ruined my life."
Shaquelle Walker Jr's killing this month outraged the community at large and prompted elected officials, community leaders, and law enforcement to gather and call for the end of the surge in violence in the city over the last several months. More than 40 people have been killed this year and more than 400 shootings have already happened. Buffalo is on pace for 90 homicides this year, more than double than it was in 2017 and the highest in decades.
"To those who have supported us at this very harsh time, we want to send and say thank you very, very much from the bottom and depths of our souls," Poshine Jenifer, Shaquelle's grandfather, said. "We appreciate what you all have took your time out to say and do and help us accomplish at this time. We don't have no ill-will towards anybody. We never did and never will. We have a family member that left tragically. It's a sad situation but everybody is going to pull through, including the supporters. My family? I'm going try and keep them closely knit together as I have done."
Shaquelle was riding a bicycle at the time of the shooting.
Two people from Cheektowaga were charged in connection to the shooting. Dequan Richardson and Jonay Robinson were both charged with gun and drug crimes, though Erie County District Attorney John Flynn did not say they were shooters or if they supplied the guns to those involved in the shootings.
"You all took him from his brother," Danetta said. "He was an amazing big brother. He was an amazing big brother. He helped me teach him things. He taught him how to brush his teeth, how to put his clothes on. You all really did damage."
Danetta said the only GoFundMe that should be donated to is the one at the following link.
