SAN ANTONIO – A Georgia mother is devastated after learning her son was killed in a San Antonio East Side shooting in front of his 4-year-old son.
San Antonio police said DeLon Weaver, 24, was shot during an argument with Keith Corely, 26, at the Antioch Village Apartments on Upland Drive.
“He was a family man,” said LaRhonda Burnett, Weaver’s mother. “He loved me to death. He loved his sisters. He loved everyone. He had his way with things in life, but he was finding his way. He was doing good and just wanted to be happy and be with his family.”
Weaver was originally from Georgia and moved to San Antonio when he had his two children, who his family says changed his life.
“(DeLon) was a protector,” said DaVine Weaver, his sister. “He loved football, which was his first love. Then, he moved to his love of music. But then, he had his son and daughter, and after that, everything changed for him. He loved them kids to death. He was a great father and a great brother.”
When they found out DeLon Weaver had been shot, his family was heartbroken.
“Words can’t express how terrible this is because we are all the way in Atlanta, and we couldn’t see him or anything,” DaVine Weaver said.
“We got to stop killing each other,” Burnett said through tears. “It ain’t even worth it, man. You not only killed a man, but you killed all of us. You took a father, a son, a nephew!”
The family says DeLon Weaver was defending a female friend from Corely when the shooting happened.
San Antonio police said an argument transpired, leading to Corely pulling a handgun out to shoot DeLon Weaver.
The family says DeLon Weaver’s son witnessed the shooting.
“Who shoots someone in front of their children? His mother put him in counseling today,” Burnett said. “His 4-year-old son identified this man killing his daddy, and he knows he can’t be with his daddy anymore because of that man. This is going to mess my grandchild up for life.”
Burnett said Weaver had plans to move back to Georgia next year.
“They took a part of my heart. I got five kids, but they still feel like they just snatched it out! Words can’t even explain. I see this stuff on TV, and my heart goes out, and now I feel like my heart is gone,” Burnett said. “Part of my heart is gone. I never knew what mothers go through. This is the worst feeling -- to give life to somebody and then you have to bury your child. I would rather them bury me. I didn’t want to bury my baby!”
Burnett said her son didn’t deserve to die.
“He had his vices, but who didn’t?” she said. “He wasn’t perfect, but God doesn’t make any one person. He was a good person, and he didn’t deserve to die like that, and he dang sure didn’t deserve to be killed in front of my grandson.”
Corely was arrested in Madison County and is awaiting extradition back to Bexar County for murder.
Now that the suspect is in custody, Burnett said she has a little closure.
“I am happy they got him,” Burnett said. “But I will be better when they sentence him. You are less than a man! You are not a man! You should be ashamed of yourself!”
Even though forgiveness will be difficult, Burnett said she would continue to pray for Corely and pray that the gun violence stops.
“Mothers like me are losing their children,” Burnett said. “Sisters like her are losing their brothers. My grandchildren lost their father because of violence that is not necessary. The senseless violence needs to stop.”
The family is now planning a vigil and memorial in San Antonio and Georgia.