Exclusive: Mother of Newark shooting victim Walik Shaw urges mayor to address drug problem
NEWARK, N.J. -- Family members are mourning the deaths of two people, including a child, who died in a shooting in Newark this week.
Twenty-seven-year-old Walik Shaw was shot and killed Wednesday inside a Johnson Avenue home in Newark.
In an exclusive interview, his mother, Marleana Shaw, told CBS2's Christine Sloan the suspect was Walik's friend and the two were hanging out at a party. She also believes the suspect was on drugs.
"The person that killed him is somebody he'd've died for. They was like brothers. We all loved him. I don't understand this, so... I wanna say to the people, please, young people, stop with these guns and stop with these drugs that got y'all hallucinating. If you know your mind is not strong enough, please stay away from mind-altering drugs," she said.
Authorities say the suspect also shot an 8-year-old boy, who died of his injuries at the hospital.
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Shaw was a father of four, including a baby.
"Walik was a tough teddy bear. He had the most beautiful smile. He was so talented on so many different levels," his mother said.
Newark's mayor says this wasn't random and the suspect knew the victims. He also says several weapons used in the crime, as well as drugs, were found at the scene.
"This is a very tragic thing that happened to my son and to the other people that it happened to, and the mayor's totally wrong. He needs to stop assuming and take responsibility for what he needs to be doing in his town and getting these drugs up out of here. They're killing our people," Marleana Shaw said.
A vigil was held Friday evening in memory of the 8-year-old victim, who was known to many as Little Zahmaire. Loved ones gathered at a park where he played flag football. They released balloons in memory of the child, who was described as someone who lit up a room.
"I was liking that kid. He had a spark when he come in the room. He was a light. For that light to go out, it's rough on a lot of people out here, man," flag football coach Sunni Amos said.
Councilman Patrick Council also coached him and is trying to find words to explain the tragedy to the boy's teammates.
"The challenge is not in his loss but in the fact that we are still here to be able to remember him in the best way possible, and that's living out the energy and zeal and love that he had for life," he said.
The councilman says this Saturday would have been Zahmaire's first day of conditioning and preparing for the season, graduating from playing flag football to playing with equipment.
"Couldn't keep him off the football field, ran around game time through everyone else's game," Council said.
A third victim survived the shooting.
The attorney general says the suspect, who has not been identified, was fatally wounded by police after a foot chase.
By law, the attorney general's office is required to investigate police-involved shootings.
The motive is still unknown.
