PITTSBURGH — Amya Thomas choked back tears as she reflected on her nephew 1-year-old De’Avry Thomas’ short life.
“He means a lot to me. He’s taught me a lot. I’m a new mom myself. I just recently had my own son, but he was like a son to me. He really was,” said Thomas.
Pittsburgh Public Safety confirms the child was not the intended target, but a passenger in the car was.
A bullet went through the window of the Jeep, striking him.
“I wish I was there for my nephew. I wish this situation was prevented,” said Thomas.
Monday morning, Pittsburgh Police arrested and charged 26-year-old Londell Falconer with homicide and criminal conspiracy for his involvement in Thomas’ death.
According to the criminal complaint, Falconer and another unidentified man were caught on surveillance cameras in downtown in their Jeep with Illinois plates shooting at the car carrying Thomas.
Police eventually got a call Sunday evening reporting they saw two men dump a Jeep Compass along nearby Tinsbury Street and run away.
Investigators moved in and discovered the same Illinois plates and a can of RedBull in a nearby garbage can there.
Investigators traced fingerprints from the RedBull can directly to Falconer.
Early Monday morning, police say Falconer was injured in a separate shooting.
They interviewed him at the hospital where he denied his involvement in the drive-by shooting that killed the child.
When they showed him video evidence—he told them, “I was the driver.”
“I don’t understand why. I don’t understand who would want to harm someone like an innocent 1 year old. He was soon to be 2,” said Thomas.
“He was a fun kid. His energy. His love of life,” said Kahlil Darden, godfather to De’Avry Thomas.
At this point, the motive behind the shooting is not clear.
The second suspect has not yet been named.
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