Dad And 4-Month-Old Son Killed On Front Porch Of Their North Carolina Home

On May 29, 2022, Darion McClendon, a father of two, and his 4-month-old son, Da'mari, were killed in a shooting in front of their home in Monroe, North Carolina. According to WSOC-TV, police officers arrived at the scene just after 10 p.m. that night and found both father and son dead. There were also bullet holes in the house and some of the cars that were parked outside the home.

Darion, 25, had another son who is only two years old and who will now have to grow up without his devoted dad. A 9-year-old and an 11-year-old were also at the home at the time of the shooting, PEOPLE reported. A family member told NBC Action News 5 that those children were okay physically but are likely to be traumatized from what they saw at the home.

Just before the shooting, Darion was enjoying a picnic in the park with his family, according to a family member who spoke to WBTV. The family member added, “They’re just shooting people just to shoot people. This man was cooking on the grill for his family, this man was having a good time with his family, and this is what happened.”

Darion's sister Jasmine McClendon told WCNC-TV about her grief over the loss of her nephew, saying, “He was only four months old. He was a baby, and they took his life. He didn't deserve this."

Monroe Police Chief Bryan Gilliard stated, “This is a very difficult time for our community and our officers in the face of this senseless act of violence. We are committed to bringing the perpetrator of this crime to justice.”

Gilliard asked that anyone with information come forward. If you have any information about the shooting, please contact the Monroe Police Department at 704-282-4700 or Union County Crime Stoppers at 704-283-5600. A cash reward of up to $5,000 is being offered for information that leads to an arrest in this crime.