Dad Shot Dead While Protecting 1-Year-Old Son At Miami Restaurant — Suspect Says He Was ‘High On Mushrooms’
"He's just a boy."
GoFundMe / Michael Wakefield / Facebook A man who was shot dead while trying to protect his son from a gunman has been named as Dustin Wakefield.
22-year-old Wakefield was out for dinner with his wife and 1-year-old son in a South Beach restaurant in Miami when the shooting occured.
What happened to Dustin Wakefield?
Wakefield was allegedly shot by Tamarius Davis, a Georgia man who was arrested and charged with second-degree murder with a weapon and attempted murder.
Dustin Wakefield was reportedly shot while protecting his son.
According to Wakefield’s uncle, who was not at the restaurant but says he heard accounts from his family, Davis initially pointed the gun at the 1-year-old child.
“This guy came in with a gun waving it, saying it’s time to die. He pointed the gun at his son and Dustin said, ‘He’s only a boy,’” said Mike Wakefield.
“Dustin stood up between the gunman and the baby and he shot him. He shot him multiple times on the ground.”
Tamarius Davis was arrested for Dustin Wakefield’s murder.
Davis was arrested by Miami police in a nearby alleyway shortly after the incident occured.
Davis allegedly told police that he “randomly chose” Wakefield.
Davis also allegedly attacked another man after the shooting by firing at him but ultimately missing him. In the video of his arrest, Davis appears to yell, "I did it. I did it."
According to an arrest report, a Miami Beach park ranger heard the shots and saw Davis chasing the man.
The ranger told police he saw Davis seemingly fire toward the ground, police say.
Another bystander video obtained by the Miami Herald shows Davis walking down a street toward Ocean Drive, next to the entrance of the Winter Haven hotel.
In the video he reportedly aimed and fired at a man who was not hit and ran away.
Davis is reported to have been ‘high on mushrooms.’
Davis said he was “high on mushrooms which made him feel empowered,” according to an arrest report.
In another video, which is said to have been taken after Wakefield was shot, a man believed to be Davis is shown dancing and swaying while holding his weapon outside the Ocean Drive restaurant.
There is a GoFundMe for Dustin Wakefield’s family.
Michael Wakefield has established a GoFundMe to raise money for his nephew’s family.
Wakefield worked in the construction industry and loved music and hunting, his uncle said.
“He was the kindest kid. He loved his family. He loved being a dad,” he said about Wakefield.
Alice Kelly is a senior news and entertainment editor for YourTango. Based out of Brooklyn, New York, her work covers all things social justice, pop culture, and human interest. Keep up with her Twitter for more.