x
Breaking News
More () »

Vigil held for shooting victim at I-90 and West 117th Street

"If you're watching this, we did not hurt you. But you hurt my brother, my mother, and my sister."

Thousands of people use the West 117th off-ramp from I-90 everyday along the Cleveland-Lakewood border.

Andre Williams was a passenger in one such car Saturday night when he was killed in a drive-by shooting. His family says he was not the target and they're pleading for the gunman, still on the loose, to turn himself in.

Just feet away from that westbound off-ramp, a group of several dozen came to remember the 35 year old father, brother and uncle on Wednesday night, hoping it strikes a chord with that gunman still on the run.

Cassandra McDonald wants to both hold her brother, and hold her brothers killer accountable.

"If you're watching this, we did not hurt you," she said at the vigil. "But you hurt my brother, my mother, and my sister."

At the vigil just feet from the crime scene, the message was justice.

Cassandra is an activist, heading the Euclid NAACP. Never did she think she'd have to stand for action in the slaying of her brother.

Her brother, 35-year old Andre Williams was a passenger, and the family says an unintended victim when bullets pierced thru a blue vehicle on Saturday night.

Police say Gianni Gray of Garfield Heights opened fire on Williams and the driver of the car, Malachia Perez Stewart III. Gray previously served three years on weapons and trafficking charges..

Back at the vigil, we saw interlocked hands, signs, balloons, and messages of hope.

Staples of vigils like these.

But what may be most notable: What's not here.

For this sister who treated her baby brother almost as a son: Tears are absent. Intentionally.

"I'm not gonna waste my tears," Cassandra said. "I gotta fight."

WATCH | See full coverage of the vigil from WKYC's Facebook Live in the player below:

Before You Leave, Check This Out