Family demands justice for man shot and killed after car crash on I-80 southwest of Chicago
JOLIET, Ill. (CBS) -- A southwest suburban Chicago family on Tuesday night was grieving the loss of a man who was shot and killed on his way home from work.
Authorities say Lenier Clayton was shot by another driver after getting into a crash on Interstate 80 a night earlier.
Clayton was only 30 years old with so much more life left to live and love to give, his mother said.
His family said Thanksgiving was his favorite holiday. Yet this week, his family will have a huge void during the holiday—as they will for years to come.
Video supplied by the Clayton family shows Lenier Clayton dancing with a big smile—and that is how his mother, Lenora Clayton, wants to remember her only son.
"He was the life of the party," Ms. Clayton said. "He was a jokester—very good young man."
On Monday night just before 11 p.m., a knock at the front door awoke Clayton's family.
"[We] turned on the porch light, and peeked out the curtain, and knew something wasn't right," said Ms. Clayton.
At the door were Will County Sheriff's officials with Lenier Clayton's ID in hand.
"She's asking them: 'Where is my son? Where's my baby? Is he OK? Is he alive? Is he safe?'" said Lenier Clayton's sister, Mia Clayton. "They wouldn't say much more until they said: 'Can we come inside? We don't want to do this on the porch.'"
Deputies broke the news that Lenier had been shot and killed while on I-80 near the I-355 interchange in New Lenox earlier in the evening.
"I was in shock. She's crying. I'm trying to hold on to her, and I'm just like, this can't be happening," said Mia Clayton. "My brother called me at 5:15."
Indeed, Mia missed her brother's call just minutes before the incident.
"I don't know if he called me when this was happening," said Mia Clayton.
Investigators said Lenier Clayton and another driver got into a quarrel on the interstate. When the two got out to look at the damage, the driver pulled out a gun and fired, killing Lenier.
"It was multiple. It wasn't just once. So that's rage. That's hate. Why? You don't even know him," said Ms. Clayton, "and even if you did, that wasn't necessary."
Police arrested the alleged shooter. But the Clayton family's void leaves so many questions over what appears to be just a car accident.
"It was not worth it. You took this boy from us right before the holidays. Like my mom said, you didn't know him. You didn't know him," said Mia Clayton, "and he doesn't know how badly he's affected all of us."
As the family grieves, they hope the person is charged accordingly.
"I for damn sure hope he is locked up forever. Forever," said Mia Clayton. "He deserves to be up under the jail. That's how I look at it."
Late Tuesday, the person in custody was in custody awaiting charges. The motive in the shooting remained unclear.
Ms. Clayton said she refuses to harbor hate in her heart against the person who is accused of shooting her son dead. But she will be in court for every hearing to make sure justice is served.
