On Monday, Fox News contributor Lawrence Jones went into Brooklyn to speak to the father and paternal grandmother of one-year-old Davell Gardner Jr., who tragically died after being hit by gunfire at a New York City playground over the weekend.
Davell Gardner Sr., in tears, pleaded with the community to come forward with information on who killed his baby boy, stating that people in the community know but are not coming forward (video below).
The heartbroken father also said that not enough is being done about the surge in New York City violence, adding that he feared this might happen to his son and wanted to get out of the city.
“I didn’t know if my son was gonna make it or not, and he didn’t,” Davell Sr. recalled in tears. “I was looking for answers… When the doctors came out and told me, I just lost myself.”
Anyone who says they believe his son’s life mattered “are just lying,” the father continued, “because if you know information, that needs to be said, and no information is being said.”
“Whatever information you know, you need to tell me, it needs to be known,” he pleaded. “I need this information, because these guys just took my son’s life. For what? He didn’t do nothing to nobody.”
The victim’s grandmother, Samantha Gardner, said the child’s killers can “go to hell.”
“For the cowards that did this, you should be ashamed of yourselves,” she said, adding: “Everybody talk about ‘Black Lives Matter.’ What about baby lives? What about teenager lives? You took an innocent child from a mother and a father, and I don’t think it’s fair.”
“I just finished interviewing Samantha & Davell Sr. The grandmother and father of 1-year-old Davell Gardner Jr.,” Jones posted Monday, captioning a photo of the victim, who was set to turn two years old in two month. “He was in his stroller, when a group opened fire at a BBQ. A bullet hit baby boy in the stomach & sadly he didn’t make it. I’m live from Brooklyn, NY tonight.”
I just finished interviewing Samantha & Davell Sr. The grandmother and father of 1-year-old Davell Gardner Jr. He was in his stroller, when a group opened fire at a BBQ. A bullet hit baby boy in the stomach & sadly he didn’t make it. I’m live from Brooklyn, NY tonight. pic.twitter.com/52gzciUH0A
— Lawrence B. Jones III (@LawrenceBJones3) July 13, 2020
As reported by WPIX, outraged members of the community echoed the father’s concerns, calling on those with knowledge to come forward.
“You know who pulled that godd*** trigger last night,” one woman pleaded. “It’s time to go to work, I need y’all to check in.”
“What I’m saying to you today, march hard, not just for police brutality, do this for this black-on-black (crime),” she added. “That could be your child!”
According to WPIX, community organizers announced a march set for Wednesday, across the Brooklyn bridge, “calling for a unified effort against gun violence.”
WATCH:
Baby shot to death in #Brooklyn.
Davell Gardner Jr. was just one year old when a bullet hit and killed him last night outside of a playground.
Now the community is begging for people to come forward with information.
Story w/ @jamesfordtv #NYC #news#PIX11NEWS pic.twitter.com/lrYY99VjDv
— Darren McQuade (@BreakinNewsBoy) July 14, 2020
1-year-old Davell Gardner Jr. was shot and killed in New York City as gun violence continues to surge.
His family spoke out to the @seanhannity show.
"Everybody talk about 'Black Lives Matter.' What about baby lives? You took an innocent child from a mother and a father…" pic.twitter.com/plynPXFbms
— Washington Examiner (@dcexaminer) July 14, 2020
The gut-wrenching death of Davell happened on the same day Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) suggested the massive surge of crime in New York City was a byproduct of pandemic-related poverty.
Related: One-Year-Old Baby Killed By Gunfire At NYC Cookout Same Day AOC Rationalizes Crime Uptick