Today marks 8 years since Jordan Davis, a 17-year-old high school student was murdered by Michael David Dunn, a 45-year-old software developer, following an argument over loud music played by Davis and his three friends. Dunn shot and killed Jordan on November 23, 2012, at a Gate Petroleum gas station in Jacksonville, Florida.
Jordan’s mother, Lucy McBath, 60, who is currently serving as the U.S. Representative for Georgia’s 6th congressional district, has taken to twitter on Monday to write a heartbreaking note in remembrance of her son and to other mothers who lost their children to gun violence .
In her tweet, Lucy said that this is her 8th letter to Jordan as she use to do this every year.
“Today marks 8 years since my son Jordan was stolen from me. Every year, I write a letter to my son. Read below – and remember there are still thousands of families in this country being torn apart every single day from gun violence.”
Today marks 8 years since my son Jordan was stolen from me.
— Lucy McBath (@lucymcbath) November 23, 2020
Every year, I write a letter to my son. Read below – and remember there are still thousands of families in this country being torn apart every single day from gun violence. pic.twitter.com/T0Q4SG35en
“To Jordan: I miss you. It’s been eight years since I got to hug and kiss you. I had no way to know that the last time I hugged you would be the last time I embraced you in this life.”
“You didn’t deserve to die that way, but our laws failed you, failed us and countless families like ours. I know the man who killed you was not raised the way I raised you. But I decided not to be silent — to challenge the laws that failed us.”
“I know you’re looking down on me, & I pray I’m making you proud – taking on the work that I know you were meant to do, Jordan. Can you believe I’m about to start my second term in Congress? This wasn’t in the cards or on any life plan that we had.”
“I know that you were not taken from us in vain eight years ago today. It cannot be that way. Not a day goes by that I don’t think about you, but I take comfort knowing that one day I’ll get to hug you again and hear your voice and your laugh when I join you.”
“But until God decides that day has come, my promise to you is that I will continue to fight for you and your legacy. To make this world a safer place for families like ours. Thank you for watching over me as my guardian, Jordan. I love you so much.
Forever, your mom, Lucy.”
Dunn was convicted on three counts of attempted second-degree murder for firing at the three other teenagers who were with Davis that day, and one count of firing into a vehicle. The jury could not reach a verdict about whether to convict Dunn for the murder of Davis at the first trial. In a second trial, Dunn was found guilty of the first-degree murder of Davis.
After the death of her son, Lucy became an advocate for gun control, joining other mothers of African-American murder victims to form the Mothers of the Movement. It was also reported that she has forgiven Dunn after he got life sentence.
‘I too must be willing to forgive. And so I choose to forgive you Mr. Dunn for taking my son’s life. I pray that God has mercy on your soul.’ Lucy said during a court hearing.
Lucy grew up in a military family; her father, brother, nephew and cousin all served in the US military in some capacity. She has survived two bouts of breast cancer. She is married to Curtis McBath.
She had a son who died in 1993. Her other son, Jordan, was murdered in 2012. As a faithful Christian, she named her son after the River Jordan in the Bible.
A documentary film titled ‘3 1/2 Minutes, 10 Bullets’ was released on January 24, 2015 based on the events surrounding the shooting of Jordan Russell Davis and examines the incident itself, as well as the subsequent trial, media coverage and protests that resulted from the shooting.
