The daddy of a 14-year-old boy who was shot and killed Monday evening says his son, Tequel Willis, was delivering automobile keys to somebody in Surrey, B.C., when he was gunned down.
Talking from his residence in Kelowna, David Weisgarber advised CBC he believes Tequel was arrange by somebody who known as him the evening of Dec. 28.
“He took a cab at seven o’clock and went to Surrey … and he took some automobile keys which had been to be delivered to any person at that location. They apparently advised him that they had bought a automobile they usually wanted the keys,” mentioned Weisgarber.
“When he was getting out of the cab his telephone … a man bought out of a automobile that pulled up and simply began taking pictures.”
Weisgarber mentioned Tequel was shot various occasions.
“I talked to the coroner right now and she or he figures he died immediately,” he mentioned.
The situation of Monday’s homicide of a 14-year-old within the 11000-block of 148A Avenue in Surrey. (Ben Nelms/CBC)
Police haven’t recognized Willis by identify however mentioned a 14-year-old was shot in a focused hit as he was stepping out of a taxi close to 148A Avenue and 110 Avenue in Surrey, round 7:30 p.m. PT, Dec. 28.
A darkish sedan was seen rushing from the realm and half-hour later police in close by Langley had been known as to a automobile hearth.
“Based mostly on the outline of the automobile fleeing the scene it seems to be the identical automobile discovered burning in Langley, however we have now but to make a conclusive hyperlink,” mentioned Built-in Murder Investigation Crew spokesman Sgt. Frank Jang.
Tequel’s grandmother confirmed he was at his Burnaby residence making milkshakes together with his sister Monday evening then left in a taxi shortly after getting a telephone name.
Tequel Willis (entrance) in a photograph submitted by his father. (Submitted by David Weisgarber)
Carol June Downey mentioned she is devastated by his demise.
“I did not know it. I could not imagine what I used to be listening to — he is a baby,” she mentioned. “The individuals who have performed this should be accountable for his life.”
Weisgarber mentioned Tequel’s life was made troublesome by psychological well being and behavior points that went untreated, and a mom who moved ceaselessly.
He mentioned the boy had attended upwards of fifty totally different colleges over his younger life, and was positioned in a program for deaf college students at South Slope Faculty in Burnaby at one level, although he did not have listening to issues.
“They put them there as a result of they did not know the place else to place him,” mentioned Weisgarber. “He had issues concentrating and he’d get pissed off.”
“He was by no means capable of attend college actually, couldn’t learn or write, and principally needed to handle the way in which an individual would do with out these expertise.”
Weisgarber mentioned Tequel, who turned 14 in September, had minor run-ins with police and was beneath a 9 p.m. courtroom imposed curfew that he had been following.
He does not imagine his son was combined up within the drug commerce or with gangs, however mentioned he was interested in “the mistaken individuals.”
Downey mentioned she final spoke to Tequel on Christmas day and can bear in mind him as somebody who beloved his household and was particularly near his youthful sister.
“He was my child. We used to sit down round and speak and play checkers, dominos and video games on the video,” she mentioned. “He was an exquisite grandson.”
