Michigan State Fair shooting victim identified as 14-year-old Darean Davis
(CBS DETROIT) - The mother of 14-year-old Darean Davis is pleading for answers after her son was shot and killed outside of the Michigan State Fair in Novi Saturday night.
Darean, a sophomore at University High School in Ferndale, was shot and killed in the Suburban Collection Showplace parking lot outside of the Michigan State Fair around 9:56 p.m. Saturday. A 14-year-old friend of Darean's was also shot. He remains hospitalized in stable condition.
Novi police say the shooting stemmed from an argument that occurred throughout last week in other communities and carried over to their arrival at the fair's parking lot Saturday.
A suspect has not yet been identified.
"We want somebody to speak up because there was a lot of people there, and from my understanding, people were recording, so somebody knows something," said Verteya Gilbert, Darean's mother. "It's not going to bring my son back, but it will bring me just a little bit of comfort."
Devon Buskin, co-founder and CEO of the Detroit City Lions Youth Club, says Darean's death is a huge loss to the youth football community and beyond. Darean, along with his friend, who was wounded Saturday, played in the Detroit City Lions Youth Club.
"Leading an organization that's a youth advocate that's here to keep kids safe, providing safe spaces for them, trying our best to guide them in the right directions, and just giving them opportunities to be kids and have fun and to get a call with some devastating news that a player of ours ... was shot and killed due to gun violence along with another athlete or ours that was shot in the leg and wounded, it was just devasting," Buskin said. "It was just another wake-up to say we need to do more; this has to stop."
Ferndale Public Schools is offering grief counseling for students, staff and parents on Tuesday.
"Thank you for your understanding, compassion, and support as we navigate this difficult period. Let us come together as a community to support one another and honor Darean's memory," the district said in a statement.
Novi police are leading the investigation with assistance from Michigan State Police and the Oakland County Sheriff's Office.
"Right now, my family is looking for justice for Darean," said Vertoya Gilbert," Darean's aunt. "If you know who did it, just speak up. Tell us something. We need closure."
Anyone with information regarding the shooting is asked to call the Novi Police Department at 248-348-7100.