Chicago Mother Loses Two Sons In One Year To Gun Violence
CHICAGO (CBS) -- William Lee Martin of Springfield was killed Friday night, making it two sons killed in one year for one Chicago mother.
"Will was a joyful happy person," said Thelma Smith, the victim's mother. "He always had a smile on his face."
CBS 2's Mike Puccinelli reports that the thirty year old father of six had just left a home on South Princeton when there was a tell-tale sound.
"My sister came out of the room and said did ya'll hear them gunshots," said Smith.
The shots were from adjacent wells street. That's where Martin was sitting inside watching tv when a shot came through the window and killed him. After taking a frantic phone call Smith rushed to the scene.
"My oldest son was screaming and crying telling me that my son was dead," said Smith.
And it's not the first time Smith has heard those terrible words this year. Back in April her youngest son Samuel Clay was also gunned down.
"I'm not even through grieving over him and I have to bury another one of my kids," said Smith. "I don't know what this world is coming to."
The director of No Guns No Violence, Andrew Holmes, says it can stop, but only if the residents of crime ravaged neighborhoods step up.
"The way to bring this to an end is they have to open up their mouth and tell who these shooters are," said Holmes. "Someone knows who these shooters are."
That way the killers can be brought to justice. It will be justice for Bridget Lofton whose brother is actually one of the lucky survivors.
"He was hit under his heart," said Bridget Lofton.
And justice for a grieving mom who lost not one but two sons to the barrel of a gun.
"I can't keep going through burying my children," said Smith. "Our children are supposed to bury us."
