8-Year-Old Shooting Victim’s Grandmother Offers Forgiveness

December 5, 2024

‘Yes, you took a life, but there’s still hope for you because you’re alive.’

On Nov. 26, while riding along Swan Avenue near Kingfisher Avenue in Baton Rouge, LA, 8-year-old Diellon Daniels was killed during a drive-by shooting. Now, the boy’s grandmother, Erica Rayford, is offering forgiveness while appealing to the shooter to surrender to authorities, WAFB/Gray News reports.

“Yes, you committed the crime,” Rayford said. “Yes, you took a life, but there’s still hope because you’re still alive. We cannot see Dill again. They can see their family. Just own up to what you’ve done. Change your life. You never know what may happen.”

Unfortunately, the death of Diellon is not the only charge facing the shooter. At the time of the incident Courtlyn Daniels, Diellon’s mom who was pregnant at the time, was in her vehicle with five of her children. Three were injured in the shooting.

Courtlyn Daniels has since given birth to her eighth child.

Baton Rouge Police Chief TJ Morse said the Daniels family was caught in the middle of what appeared to be a targeted shooting. According to Morse, the car was struck 20 to 30 times as evidenced by the shell casings found on the scene.

The family is faced with uncertainty and financial turmoil. Courtlyn is raising funds to bury Diellon as she tries to make sense of the tragedy.

“I unexpectedly lost one of my dear eight, one of my baby boys, due to senseless gun violence. I have endured a pain no mother should have to bear, and that is losing a child, especially to gun violence,” she wrote in a GoFundMe post.

If you would like to donate to Diellon’s funeral expenses click here. As of the afternoon of December 5, the campaign has raised more than $35,000; the goal was $15,000.

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