On August 17, 2021, my family met a young man at a gas station in Sioux Falls, South Dakota. My daughter Maria felt the need to help, so we did. I lived with my son Dillion, who had just turned 19 three months prior.
Less than 48 hours later, I was sleeping on the couch when I heard my son running up the stairs. He said “Run Mom, call the cops, he shot me, Mom, he’s trying rob us.” He fell to the ground. At this moment, I was in the kitchen. Before I knew it, this young man pointed the gun in my face and said, “I just shot your son. Give me his car keys.” I screamed. My son said, “Mom, I love you.”
The shooter ran out the front door as he heard my upstairs neighbor running down. EMT came, police officers. They rushed my son to Avera Hospital, where he was pronounced dead with seven shots to his body.
Despite the evidence of his finger on the gun, the man was found Not Guilty.