While she admits that her son did wrong in robbing a retired Oakland police captain, the mother is now raising questions about whether it is really needed to have her young man killed using a fatal force.
“I want to apologize to everyone in the Oakland community who was affected by that situation,” the robber’s mom, Trepania Williams, shared to the San Francisco Chronicle on Friday, as reported by KPIX5. “But death was not the answer.”
Desoni Gardner of Vallejo, her 20-year-old child, was among the three suspects identified by the police in a robbery attempt against Ersie Joyner.
The victim was pumping gas close to downtown Oakland on Oct. 21 when the incident happened. Gardner was killed during the crime as Joyner got a firearm and shot at his attackers. Two other suspects sustained wounds. They escaped in a car, and Joyner was also left with gunshot wounds.
“I understand my son was wrong but he’s already been held accountable,” the killed robber’s mother said.
According to her, she has seen the surveillance camera footage of the incident countless times. Williams demands more inquiry on Joyner, “who took the initiative to shoot and kill.”
No immediate response on requests for comments from Joyner.
Oakland’s police chief said that Joyner was in serious condition and “fighting for his life” on the day of the incident. No update on his condition was provided by the authorities this week.
Joyner used to be the head of the homicide unit before he retired in 2019. He also led the Ceasefire anti-violence initiative of the city.
The retired police official entered the cannabis industry as his new career after leaving the force. The newspaper said he owns dispensaries in San Francisco and Oakland and is also owning a company on public safety and security consulting.
Meanwhile, apart from Gardner, Williams also lost another son named Demazhe in a gun violence last July 2020.
