‘You killed a child’ Grieving Mother demands justice after 6-year-old was shot while in bed

LYNCHBURG, Va. (WDBJ) - It’s been one month since 6-year-old Kingston Campbell was shot and killed while playing in his bed - and still, no one has been arrested for the senseless crime. His mother agreed to an exclusive interview with WDBJ7 on Wednesday and tells us how her life has forever changed.

Last year Shay Fowler was celebrating her son Kingston Campbell’s birthday. He turned 6 in June. A year later she is grieving the loss of her only son –after he was shot in cold blood in May.

“It’s really really hard. I don’t wish it on nobody. It’s the hardest thing I’d ever had to do. I miss my son every day – every second,” said Fowler.

His family describes him as a normal kid who loved playing video games and eating happy meals.

“Just one of a kind,” said Kingston’s Grandmother Quinla Fowler. “If you knew him, you knew him. To know him was to love him.”

On May 1st her three kids and their stepdad dropped off her dinner at work. But Fowler didn’t know that would be the last time she would see her son alive.

“He was running in the store where I work at with his sister. And I told him to stop running. I said you know you’re not supposed to be running here,” explained Fowler. “That was the last thing and I said I love ya’ll. Have a good day.”

When she arrived home, she noticed the door was open – her first thought was that someone had broken in.

" I run out of the car and go into the house and my youngest daughter was standing right there and was just standing there,” added Fowler. “I’m like what are you doing? It’s dark in the house. I’m like what are you doing? She told me she was like Mom Kingston was shot and he’s bleeding.”

Lynchburg Police reported the first grader was in his bed playing video games at the time of the shooting. Officers said he died before they arrived on the scene.

“So, I ran upstairs into their room. And that’s when I saw him lying on his bed. He was already gone,” said Fowler.

Video footage released by police shows several people ambushing the duplex with gunfire.

WDBJ7 asked Kingston’s mother if she thought the incident was a targeted attack. She said she believes they had the wrong house.

“Yes, it was targeted. It was not targeted at my son though, but it was targeted,” said Fowler.

According to search warrants obtained by WDBJ7, an anonymous person told police that a group had parked a car in the area of 17th Street and Spencer Place and walked away. The same direction police said the suspects ran toward in the video.

The court documents also show police are requesting phone data from nearby towers.

In a statement to WDBJ7 Lynchburg Police Department Chief Ryan Zuidema said “The tragic death of Kingston remains a constant focus of our department as we work to identify the involved individuals and hold them fully accountable under the law. We encourage anyone with information on this case to come forward so we can provide justice for Kingston’s family.”

“I want all four of them to be held accountable for what they did because you all were shooting at my house,” explained Fowler. “So, really that’s the main thing that I want all of them to go to jail or whatever you know all four of them. That’s justice for my son and my family.”

Fowler asked the gunmen to turn themselves in.

“You know what you did at this point. You killed a child. A 6-year-old child that had nothing to do with what ya’ll had going on” added Fowler. “Ya’ll just need to turn yourself in – turn someone in.”

The Hill City has rallied around the family and Fowler says she is thankful for all the support.

“Prayers a lot of prayers is what we need,” said Fowler. “Helps us find the people that did it. Speak up. Please speak up please.”

Kingston would’ve turned 7 on June 24th.

His mother says she’s planning to host a birthday party in his honor.

Fowler also said the community plans to honor Kingston with an event on July 8th.

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