BALTIMORE — Cecilia Ringold has five children, 18 grandchildren and 63 great-grandchildren. One of those great-grandchildren was a victim of Baltimore's gun violence.
Deontay Edwards, just 19 years old, was murdered on Oliver Street Saturday morning.
With just one step into Ringold's room, anyone can see just how much she loves and values her family.
One of those in the gallery was of her grandson, who is no longer here with her today.
They called him Lil Dee, short for Deontay Edwards.
“He lived with me," Ringold said. "I raised him up under me. He's under this wing. You understand me? This ain’t no little tiny wing. This a strong wing."
It’s a strong wing that Ringold said has endured nearly everything but gun violence until Saturday morning.
“Dee is around there on the ground, one block from my house, and I’m running down there 12:30 - 1 o’ clock in the morning and see him on the ground," Ringold said. "That’s the (most) peaceful I’ve seen him in a while."
Ringold is well-aware of Baltimore City's struggle with gun violence, claiming the lives of more than 200 victims so far in 2022.
“I see it on TV. I hear it everyday but it don’t hit you until it happens to you, then it hit you,” she shared.
Ringold called Dee an ambitious go-getter, selling water at times and washing cars, but it's a lifestyle she's hoping his peers can somehow avoid.
She offered advice to the young men in her neighborhood.
“Stay from them corners. Get a job," Ringold said. "Do something positive for yourself because you know Dee. He’ll make a dollar, but look, the dollar ain’t doing him no good."
As one shooting leads to another, in response, Ringold pleads to Deontay’s countless friends and family members not to make his death the start of yet another cycle of violence.
“Let God fight our battles," Ringold said. "I ask you to do that. I ask all of y’all to do it. Everyone of y’all. Let God fight our battles. When you retaliate, it’ll be more hurt. The family hurt more than the person that’s laying there,” Ringold plead
The state and Metro CrimeStoppers combined will offer a $16,000 reward to anyone that offers a tip leading to the arrest of Deontay’s killer.
