Mother speaks out after 13-year-old son was killed in northeast side shooting
INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — The mother of a 13-year-old who was gunned down on the city’s northeast side is grappling with the loss.
“I’m hurt, lost, at a loss of words, can’t sleep,” said Shawna Lyles.
Shawna Lyles hasn’t been able to sleep since she lost her 13-year-old son Dayon Lyles to a shooting Wednesday night.
The Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department says he is the 21st child killed by gunfire so far this year.
The shooting occurred near the North Sherman Drive and 38th Street intersection.
Lyles says she never imagined the worst.
“I wish I did, but no, because my son doesn’t do anything wrong, so I couldn’t see it coming, but it happened,” said Lyles.
Police said Dayon was taken to the Riley Hospital for Children, where he later died.
Investigators believe he was caught between two groups connected to the shooting.
Deanthony Patterson says his little cousin had a promising future ahead of him.
“His goal in the future was just to make everything brighter. He always put a smile on people’s faces and he loved basketball. He was going to be a little NBA star, and they just took that all from him,” said Patterson.
Whitney Bishop says she heard several gunshots while inside her home.
“I yelled downstairs. I told my kids. I said ‘get down, get down.’ They was like, ‘mama what?’ I said ‘get down,’ so then I look outside and I saw some cars speed off,” said Bishop.
Bishop says she’s thinking about the boy’s mom.
“When a mom has to see and bury her child, I don’t even know what that feels like, and I don’t want to know because I kind of feel it without evening knowing,” said Bishop.
The family is asking whoever did this to turn themselves in.
“I’m not one to hate people, but I just want y’all to turn yourself in because this ain’t right, and if you want to make it right to yourself and make it right to the family, it’s not going to change our emotions, but at least turn yourself in,” said Patterson.
Anyone with information about this incident is asked to contact Det. Matthew Melkey at the IMPD Homicide Office at 317-327-3475, or e-mail him at Mattew.Melkey@indy.gov.
