The Tribune

By RASHAD ROLLE

Tribune Senior Reporter

rrolle@tribunemedia.net

FAMILY of Reyes Williams say all the seven-year-old talked about was his upcoming birthday party before he was killed Sunday night.

The shy, quiet Thelma Gibson Primary School student never had such a party and beamed at the thought of hosting one on October 17.

“He just wanted little things,” recalled his aunt, Verline Culmer, “a game, stuff like that, but nothing major, he just liked to be around his cousins and family, that’s all.”

Reyes’ 35-year-old mother was inconsolable when The Tribune visited her house off Alexandria Boulevard in Nassau Village yesterday and did not speak to the press.

Ms Culmer, 40, said the boy’s mother had kept her son inside almost all of Sunday so he could focus on his school work.

“That’s what makes it so hard. She finally let him go outside after keeping him in all day and as soon as she let him out, boop, he got killed,” she said.

Reyes was heading towards his cousin’s house across the street when shots that appeared to come from the back seat of a Nissan Note struck him.

The car, Ms Culmer said, had circled the area at least three times before the shooting, including twice on Saturday and about 15 minutes before occupants opened fire in the direction of the little boy shortly before nine on Sunday night.

Ms Culmer said the target of the shooters seemed to be occupants of another silver car that was parked in the yard where the boy lived.

“The person in that car doesn’t live here but does (come) here every other day,” she said, declining to elaborate on the person’s identity. “Their car was targeted. After the shooting they left the area.”

According to the family, there was no crossfire as initially suggested by police. They said shots from the shooter grazed two other children, a 12-year-old and a 14-year-old. A teddy bear has since been placed in the spot where Reyes’ body laid lifeless. The shooting, family said, was the first in the area in some 20 years.

Reyes did not have many friends, according to his family, and he was said to be a boy of few words.

“He was one of the best little children I’ve ever known. Sweet, loving, caring little boy who didn’t bother with anybody. He didn’t even like to talk to anybody. He loved the beach, loved to swim. I tell them they have to bury him on his birthday and just have a party,” said Ms Culmer.

She said Reyes has two other siblings on his mother’s side and was very protective of them.

“We ain’ doing well at all,” she said while sending out a plea to authorities to “find out who kill him”.

“Everyone (is) losing kids but this got to put a stop to this,” she said. “Police have CCTV cameras so find out who car it was and bring us justice. Our society has to speak up. Too many kids are losing their life for foolishness.”

Several children have been wounded by gunfire this year. In June, a two-year-old girl was left in critical condition after she was shot by gunmen in Eleuthera. She was shot while being held in her grandmother’s arms, as the two sat on the porch of the woman’s home in Hatchet Bay. Gunmen got out of a car and opened fire, police said. Moments later, the grandmother realised the toddler, Da’Nyla Roberts, had been shot.

Lorencia Simmons Walkes, 10, died on Sunday, June 7, more than a week after she was shot in the Carmichael area. The fifth grader attended Sybil Strachan Primary School. She was among three people shot on May 29, after occupants of a gold coloured vehicle approached a group in front of a home at Belville Circle off Iguana Way shortly after 1pm, police said.

Three men got out of the car with firearms and fired shots at the group, according to police.

Anyone with information on these incidents or any other crime is asked to contact police at 502-9991, Crime Stoppers at 328-TIPS (8477) or the nearest police station.