North Minneapolis mother pleads for answers in son's shooting death
MINNEAPOLIS — A Minneapolis mother is hoping her unthinkable loss will save others. Someone shot and killed her son while he was sitting in a parked car in north Minneapolis last week.
"This pain that I have in my heart," said Natashia Daniels.
Daniels is struggling to deal with the loss of her only child, Dwight William Alexander, Jr.
"He was all I has besides my family who I love dearly but he's the only thing in this world that God gave me specifically," said Daniels.
An athlete from birth, Daniels supported Dwight in all he did.
"I remember sitting at the park when he practiced sitting in the gym every day," Daniels said.
This mother says her son had a village loving on him from day one.
"My son had full support from his father, his grandfather, my mother, a host of his friends' parents. He had a mother who stood — I feel like I stood on his neck," said Daniels.
That's why it's hard for her to believe he is gone.
Dwight was in a parked car on Sheridan Avenue when he was shot. Bystanders pulled him out of the car and performed CPR on him until EMS arrived. He died at the scene.
"I know that people talk and I know that there are people that may know something," Daniels said.
Daniels hopes someone tells investigators what happened to her son.
"He didn't deserve to die like that," said Daniels.
She also has a message for young men.
"They want to argue, go back and forth over these gangs, over these hoods, over these streets that they call theirs — that's not theirs and probably never will be theirs. Instead of being brothers and taking care of each other, they are out here killing each other over nothing," said Daniels.
Daniel's pastor is by her side, attempting to comfort her while searching for solutions.
"What is prevention, what happens before they become victims of gun violence, "said Pastor Carmen DeFaye Lewis.
This mother's hope — her pain — forces young people to take notice and make change.
"So, if they don't learn something after all of this," Daniels said.
Minneapolis police say they're actively investigating this case.
Anyone with information related to the shooting can submit an anonymous tip by calling CrimeStoppers at 1-800-222-8477 or by going online.
