An Ohio mother is mourning the loss of her two adult children and is focused on getting them “justice” after they were both shot and killed this week.
On Tuesday, Dec. 10, after 7 p.m. local time, both Mariana Grier, 21, and Antwon Grier, 20, were shot when “gunfire erupted within the crowd” of an apartment complex parking lot in Euclid, police told ABC affiliate WEWS.
The siblings later died at a local hospital after suffering gunshot wounds, per the outlet.
The siblings’ mother, LaShawnda Grier, told CBS affiliate WOIO that she was present when her two kids were gunned down. She added that Antwon “died in my arms.”
“As a mother, how do you pick which kid you are trying to save and both of them down?” LaShawnda asked.
“All of us fell at the same time. I got up, my oldest daughter got up and ran up the hill, and I ran down the hill,” LaShawnda added. “I saw my son underneath the car, and my other ones fell, and I picked him up, and he was so slumped.”
According to WEWS, surveillance video from the night showed four women gathered in a back lot before the shooting.
LaShawnda told WOIO that the group was waiting at the apartment to apparently confront Mariana, who lived there, as Antwon attempted to de-escalate the situation.
The mother said the violence was prompted by jealousy over a relationship. She claimed the group of women worked with her daughter as well, per WOIO.
“I know for a fact it was all over a boy,” LaShawnda told the outlet, adding of the group: “They came there to ambush my kids.”
Euclid Police Department vehicle in Ohio.
Euclid Police Department/Facebook
LaShawnda said that she was almost shot as well and ended up performing CPR on her son before he was pronounced dead.
The Euclid Police Department has since “developed strong leads,” as authorities are investigating the double homicide, per WOIO.
According to WEWS, police in Garfield Heights reportedly helped detain an 18-year-old woman allegedly involved in the shootings before she was handed over to Euclid police.
“Euclid is doing a wonderful job, a wonderful job, and I applaud them for that,” LaShawnda said. “They know I don’t play about my kids. I’ma get justice for my kids. If it’s every breath that’s in my body, I’ma get it.”
Antwon Grier, Mariana Grier via GoFundMe.
GoFundMe
A GoFundMe campaign has since been launched to cover the costs of funeral expenses and provide financial relief for the family after the deaths of both Antwon and Mariana, citing the “senseless act of violence.”
“Our hearts are shattered by this devastating loss, and the pain of losing two young lives so suddenly is indescribable,” the campaign reads. “Antwon and Mariana were full of life, with bright futures ahead of them. They brought joy, love, and laughter to everyone who knew them. Antwon was known for his sense of humor and kind heart, always lifting others up, while Mariana was an incredible soul—compassionate, driven, and full of dreams for her future.”
“Together, they were a beautiful pair whose spirits will forever be missed,” it concludes.
