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13 News Now: Mother honors murdered son's memory with support group
VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. (WVEC) -- A mother said she’s had enough with senseless violence and is now speaking out against it.
Shana Turner lost her son Shaq Turner three months after he was killed by a co-worker. Norfolk police said it was an apparent murder-suicide.
“I really don’t know what he saw in my son that really wanted him to do this to him. My son was extroverted my son was popular, he was loved by people,” said Turner.
According to Norfolk Police, December 12, 2017, officers were called to a shooting in the 6000 block of Northampton Boulevard around 7:15 p.m.
Officers arrived to find two abandoned cars in the eastbound lanes of the road. Not far from the cars, police found Dwight Walker Jr. and Shaq Turner shot to death.
Investigators believe that both men were driving their cars on Northampton Boulevard when there was a crash. Police said after the cars came to a stop, Walker Jr. walked out of his car and shot and killed Turner. He then shot himself.
Turner said her son and Walker worked together at Stihl in Virginia Beach but did not know each other. She said her son was on his way home from work and to pick up his fiancee when the incident happened. Since his death, she has not been given any motive to why her son was murdered.
“Not even knowing what had happened to my son I knew he was gone. I couldn’t sleep that night and still had no answers on why what happened,” said Turner.
Turner took her son’s tragic death and turned it into a way to help others. Recently, she and a few others formed the non-profit HR M.A.S.K. (Hampton Roads Mother’s Against Senseless Killings). It’s a support group to help those that have lost a loved one.
The organization helps coordinate a prayer line and meetings for people to cope with their loss.
Prayer line information:
- Bishop Copland with W.D.I.H has a radio prayer conference line.
- 641-715-3340 and the pin 670023.
- Hours of prayer are 6 a.m., 9 a.m.,12 p.m., 3 p.m., and 6 p.m.
- Prayer line with Franchone Dukes, Sr. pastor of Living Waters Outreach Ministries in Virginia Beach.
- 757-960-9616
- Hours of this prayer line: 7 a.m. and 7 p.m.
Turner said HR M.A.S.K. is also working to establish a scholarship fund in Shaq’s name to honor local students.