Just hours after a prayer vigil honoring his life on Thursday, police in Omaha, Nebraska, announced that they arrested two individuals in connection with the murder of Shalamar Davis Jr., a 15-year-old 10th-grade student at Burke High School whose family says he recently became a father.
Omaha police announced the arrest of Christopher Swillie and Lashanee Thomas-Moore, both 19, in connection with the shooting that left Shalamar dead and another 20-year-old man hospitalized on Tuesday, according to WOWT.
Swillie was arrested and charged with one count of first-degree murder, one count of first-degree felony assault, and four more firearms charges. Thomas-Moore was charged as an accessory.
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Officers found Shalamar and the 20-year-old man suffering from gunshot wounds near 52nd and Pinkney streets in North Omaha on Tuesday morning. He later died at a local hospital while the 20-year-old remains hospitalized, according to KETV.
“We are missing him dearly. Justice will be served,” Teri Davis, Shalamar’s grandmother, told WOWT after the prayer vigil near where Shalamar was shot.
Shalamar’s mother, Latoya Henderson, said her son lived with her, and she now plans to leave the neighborhood because she feels unsafe.
“Being outside, it’s not safe. At any given time, anything could happen. This was way too close to home. I’m not even but a couple blocks from here,” she told the outlet at the vigil.
“I’m just so glad a lot of people came out to show my baby that he is loved,” she added, calling him a beloved son, grandson, brother and father of a 1-month-old boy.
Family members stated in a GoFundMe campaign trying to raise $10,000 to help with funeral expenses that Shalamar was “just a kid with his whole life ahead of him” who also “wanted to be the best father he could be.”
“On March 25th, 2025, our hearts were shattered when we lost our beloved Shalamar to senseless gun violence. He was only 15 years old — just a kid with his whole life ahead of him. But more than that, he was a new father to his beautiful baby boy, Na’Zier, who will now have to grow up without his daddy,” a statement on the campaign said.
“Shalamar was full of love, ambition, and dreams for his future. He wanted to be the best father he could be, and he was already doing everything he could to provide for his son. His smile lit up every room, and his kindness and loyalty touched so many lives. Losing him has left a hole in our hearts that will never be filled.”
Burke High School Principal Darren Rasmussen said in a letter that the school community was “saddened” by Shalamar’s murder.
“We are saddened to share that one of our Burke High students, Shalamar Davis, a 10th grader, has died. We have been in contact with his family to share our heartfelt sympathy,” he said, according to Kearney Hub.
Rasmussen also encouraged members of the school community to support Burke students as they processed the murder.
“Grief affects everyone differently,” Rasmussen wrote. “Your child may want to talk to you about their feelings. Sometimes, students exhibit behavior changes, loss of concentration, physical complaints, or regression. These are common reactions associated with the grieving process. Talking about those feelings and listening attentively can help students cope.”
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