A recent fatal shooting in Nassau has resurrected profound grief for a family still mourning the loss of their teenage daughter in a previous shooting incident. Gamaliel Gray, the intended target of a 2024 shooting that accidentally claimed the life of 16-year-old Davinique Gray, was himself killed Tuesday evening near Ruthland Avenue and South Beach Drive.
The 2024 tragedy occurred when assailants targeted Gray at his girlfriend’s Nassau Village residence. Instead of hitting their intended victim, the gunfire killed Davinique Gray, an 11th-grade student who was inside charging a mobile device. Then-Police Commissioner Clayton Fernander indicated the attack was likely motivated by gang retaliation.
Davinique’s mother revealed that the latest violence has compounded her family’s trauma, making closure increasingly difficult. Since the 2024 shooting, she and her younger daughter have withdrawn from social media and social activities. “It brings up all types of memories,” she expressed. “I just need them to let my daughter’s soul rest because she ain’t rest since she was down.
The tragedy was particularly poignant as Davinique was killed exactly two years after her father’s murder and one day after what would have been his birthday.
At the time of Davinique’s death, Gray was wanted in connection with the killing of Gerrad Coakley. He was subsequently granted bail in December 2024 while awaiting trial on murder charges. The teen’s mother also faced charges of harboring a criminal related to Gray, though she pleaded not guilty.
Following Gray’s death this week, the woman says she has encountered renewed public criticism that she characterizes as unfair and uninformed. “They don’t know me,” she stated. “How you could judge me? You ain’t God. Don’t judge me. Don’t go with what the media or what people say because all this what they saying, this ain’t true.”
The mother continues to experience severe emotional distress, noting that she frequently has flashbacks of her daughter. “Anybody know me, when they see me, they see her,” she shared. “She never leave my side. That was my best friend. That’s why I say people gotta stop making me look like I’m a bad parent.”