‘You don’t want this feeling’: 3-year-old killed by stray bullet while lying in bed

BATON ROUGE, La. (WAFB/Gray News) - Devin Page Jr. had just started preschool, loved playing with his siblings and loved his family.

“He was a great, a very smart, intelligent 3-year-old. He was always happy, you know he loved the dance, he loves school, he loves green, he loves trucks, he loves everything,” his mother, Tye Toliver, told WAFB.

On Tuesday night, bullets flew through his window and killed him in his sleep.

“Until it happens to you, until the gun is shot at your house, you know, until the bullets come through your window, you don’t get involved. You have nothing to say,” his grandmother, Cathy Toliver, said. “But you don’t want this feeling that we have right now. You don’t want the feeling of knowing that you’ll never see your grandbaby or your son again. You don’t want that feeling.”

The family said they tried to leave their house after hearing gunshots nearby several nights in a row.

“After the first couple of weeks I was trying to move out because of the neighbors because of the drama, it was always fighting. they were shooting at each other with guns,” Tye Toliver said.

But the mother was told she would have to pay thousands to move.

“I try to stick it out, now that I stick it out, this is the outcome of what happened - my son got killed,” Tye Toliver said.

Neighbors said this street was not always like this.

“When I hear these shootings, I roll over on the floor and get down on the floor, scared to death,” neighbor Hattie Scales said.

The people who live on the street want the violence to stop.

“I want something to be done. I want the killers firsthand, I want justice for my son,” Tye Toliver said.

“It’s the only way we’re going to find strength right now is by the grace of God and with family and friends. you’ve got to keep hope alive and we are going to continue to fight for our grandson,” Cathy Toliver said.

A memorial balloon release will be held at Sherwood Park on North Sherwood Forest Drive Saturday, April 16 at 3 p.m.

The family has also set up a GoFundMe to cover his funeral expenses. You can donate to it by clicking here.

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