In a random act, a young father was fatally shot while protecting his wife and baby from a gunman who then proceeded to “dance” over his body. Later, the smiling suspect told the police the disturbing reason he did it.
In a senseless act of violence, Dustin Wakefield was murdered in cold blood without warning by a suspect he didn’t know. The deadly shooting occurred in Miami as the victim and his young family were eating at La Cerveceria de Barrio in full view of many witnesses.
Just before 6:30 p.m., 22-year-old Tamarius Blair Davis Jr. of Norcross, Georgia, entered the outdoor dining area intent on finding someone to kill. It was then that he spotted Colorado native Dustin Wakefield, who was eating with his young wife and 1-year-old son while on vacation.
Witnesses say that Davis walked over to the family’s table, raised his gun, and aimed it at the 1-year-old baby boy, Independent reports. Wakefield immediately “stood up between the gunman and baby,” drawing the killer’s attention off his baby and toward himself instead. His effort to save his son’s life succeeded but at the expense of his own life.
“This guy came in with a gun, waving it, saying it’s time to die. He pointed the gun at his son and Dustin said, ‘he’s only a boy.’ He shot him multiple times on the ground,” the victim’s uncle, Michael Wakefield, said.
Another witness captured the aftermath of the shooting on video, which appeared to show Davis celebrating and “dancing” over Wakefield as he lay dying, WPLG reports. Police performed CRP on Wakefield but he was pronounced dead soon after at Jackson Memorial Hospital.
“[The shooter] pointed the gun at the baby and [Wakefield] said, ‘That’s my son’ and then he pointed the gun at him,” witness Marquita Bradford said. “He’s a proud dad. When his son grows up and hears about this, he’s going to forever love his dad — no matter if he’s there or not.”
“There was a guy sitting at a table with all his family, kids and everything,” a witness said. “He was right there. And he shot the guy like three times.”
“After the shooting, he was dancing on top of the guy,” another witness said.
Davis was arrested on charges of second-degree murder and attempted second-degree murder for shooting at another man before the fatal shooting. Disturbingly, Davis confessed that he wanted to kill someone because he was “high on mushrooms” and felt unstoppable.
“The defendant stated he was high on mushrooms which made him feel empowered,” according to an arrest report.
Soon after the shooting, Davis surrendered to police in an alleyway. Footage taken by another witness captured the suspect smiling as he lay spread out on his back before shouting, “I give, I give, I give,” as officers handcuffed him.
The suspect’s father, Tommy Davis, was shocked by the news and said his son hasn’t ever been in trouble or exhibited mental health issues.
“This is an unlikely thing,” Tommy Davis told The Associated Press. “We are trying to find out what happened. You can imagine we were shocked.”
Understandably, Wakefield’s family is devastated. They described the young man as a loving husband, dedicated worship leader, and the “best dad ever.” A GoFundMe account has been set up in his name to relieve the financial burden of his young wife and son.
The tragic event is more than just a senseless, random act of violence. It is was an entirely preventable tragedy. If what Davis says is true, he has left a young woman a widow and left a baby boy never knowing his father all because he wanted to get high.
Regardless of his claim, his allegedly altered mental state is no reason to get away with murder. He chose to partake in mind-altering drugs and, therefore, the responsibility for his subsequent actions is all his.
