For the first time, the mother of a teenager who was tragically murdered on his way from school last year is speaking out.
Renee Taylor said she got the call when she was at work on March 4, 2024, after her 17-year-old son Dayeman Taylor was ambushed by a group of shooter at a SEPTA bus stop around 3:39 p.m.
Stream Philadelphia News for free, 24/7, wherever you are with NBC10.
WATCH HERE"I couldn't believe it was my child laying on that bed," Renee told NBC10. "He just lit up the room when he walked in. His energy was unmatched."
Dayeman was getting onto the bus on the 6200 block of Ogontz Avenue when this unfolded.
Get top local Philly stories delivered to you every morning with NBC Philadelphia's News Headlines newsletter.
SIGN UP He was pronounced dead just a few minutes after the shooting and four innocent bystanders were hurt.
"I'm screaming, I'm praying like, 'God, this could not be my life right now. Not my baby, like this can't be,'" Renee said.
Renee has been working for over 20 years as an advocate with troubled teenagers who have gone through the system.
Local
Breaking news and the stories that matter to your neighborhood.
Today, her driving force remains her son and after his death, she is urging parents to talk with their kids.
"Me and my son, we had those uncomfortable conversations. I thought we did, but we didn't have that conversation of him being threatened and to this day we don't understand why he didn't any anything," she said.
As for the young men who killed her son, she wants to send them a message.
"I pray for your mindset because if you can walk around and take someone's life like it means nothing, something is missing. You got some kinds of trauma," she said. "I know they will be caught. I know for a fact it comes back."
On Monday, April 28, the Philadelphia Police Department released surveillance video of two suspects in the incident more than a year after it happened.
"If they would have released it around the same time, they would have gotten better results," Renee said in reaction to Monday's news. "A year later, let's be clear, nothing that happens, whether they catch them or not, is going to bring my son back."
A $20,000 reward is being offered for information leading to an arrest and conviction. If you see the suspects, do not approach them. Instead, call 911 immediately. You can submit a tip by calling 215-686-TIPS (8477) or visiting the Philadelphia police website. All tips are confidential.
There are additional resources for people or communities that have endured gun violence in Philadelphia. Further information can be found here.
