SACRAMENTO, Calif. — The family who lost two sons in a fatal shooting inside the Arden Fair Mall on Black Friday invited ABC10 to join a Zoom meeting with Sacramento Mayor Darrell Steinberg and Sacramento Police Chief Daniel Hahn.
Dewanye James, Jr., 19, and Sa'quan Reed, 17, were shot and killed at the mall on Black Friday. Police said the shooting was the result of a verbal argument between two groups of people. On Monday, Nov. 30, police arrested 18-year-old Damario Beck and charged him for the homicides.
The meeting comes after the family took issue with Steinberg's tweet that the family feels suggested possible gang activity.
"Any time you have a shooting that involves young Black men, they are immediately villainized, demonized, and criminalized," family spokesperson Jamilia Land, who organized the meeting,.
The two teens' stepmother, Jayda James, said the mayor apologized to the family.
"He apologized to us, but honestly I feel like it shouldn't be just us," James said. "I do believe he should clarify that a little bit more to the public, but he took one step in apologizing so I can appreciate him for that much."
Steinberg said he apologized for the language he used in his tweet when he spoke to the family.
"In all of my interviews after the shooting, I clearly stated that there was no evidence these young men were in gangs, but on the larger issue I wanted to make it clear that the epidemic of youth gun violence is unacceptable across the board, including the rise in gang violence," Steinberg said.
The family told ABC10 they plan to hold a public memorial service for the two brothers later this week in Sacramento. The boys will then be buried in their hometown of Monroe, La. They recently moved to Sacramento from the small town.
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