Police announce person of interest in shooting death of 4-year-old boy

Mother says first responders worked on her son for 20 minutes before his death

SAN ANTONIO – Cece Whitley spoke passionately to police chief William McManus during a candlelight vigil for her 4-year-old son De-Earlvion, who was killed in a drive-by shooting Wednesday night.

“Y'all stepped in for me and I thank y'all -- I thank y'all and I tell you now, I'm standing behind y'all,” Whitley said, thanking him and first responders for working on her son for nearly 20 minutes, trying to save his life.

She said she stands by the authorities and isn’t seeking revenge or retaliation.

RELATED: Mother vows to never return to home where son, 4, was killed in drive-by shooting 

“I'm going to stand with (police) because I don't want nothing -- all I want is justice,” said Whitley, who learned a few minutes later that police had a person of interest in the case.

She and her family share several embraces at the vigil at Copernicus Park, organized by members of Texas Spartans Football, which De-Earlvion played for.

“I really hate that it took something like this to put something like this together,” said Taschia Miller of the football club. “This is something we should be doing already before it happens as opposed to trying to do it in the aftermath.”

READ THE INITAL STORY: 4-year-old boy killed, mother wounded in drive-by shooting 

At an earlier vigil just a block away from the Whitley’s home, district attorney Nico La Hood spoke about the need for righteous hate.

“We have to say we hate murder, we hate violence, we hate the spilling of innocent blood and taking our children,” said La Hood. “We're going to use that righteous anger to motivate us to do something good.”

“Fortunately we have a lot of good people tonight,” added Chief McManus. “Good people who want to make a difference, who want to bring the neighborhood up and improve the quality of life. Stop this senseless, stupid violence that happens again and again and again.”

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