Sacramento mother calls for action after her son is killed in Del Paso Heights shooting

(FOX40.COM) — A Sacramento mother is pleading with the community to cherish their children after her 31-year-old son was shot and killed in Del Paso Heights earlier this month.

Montray Allen was leaving an apartment near a church on Aug. 9 when police said he was gunned down. No suspect is in custody.

“He loved to party. He loved to hang out. He always had this big smile on his face. He was just amazing,” said his mother, Lytosha Humphrey. “I don’t want nobody else’s mother to go through the same thing because it really, really hurts.”

Humphrey described her son as a family man who loved being around family and spending time with his 10-year-old daughter. She said she is speaking out now because she doesn’t want Allen’s death to be just another statistic.

According to Sacramento police, there have been 32 homicides in the city so far in 2024, compared to 42 in all of 2023. While those numbers are not limited to gun violence, they represent dozens of families impacted by violent loss.

Community activist Barry Accius, founder of the nonprofit “Voice of Youth”, said the city needs more than just words to address the problem.

“It’s overly frustrating because this gun violence will not stop by one organization, one individual, one big speech, one law,” Accius said. “This is going to have to be an ample effort for everyone to be involved.”

Accius said he remembers Allen’s big smile and he’s calling on anyone with information to come forward.

“I am pleading for the people who may know something to say something, because Montray would have done that for you,” Accius said.

Humphrey is focused on honoring her son’s memory and making sure his young daughter is cared for. The family has set up a GoFundMe to help with funeral expenses and support her.

The Sacramento Police Department encourages any witnesses with information regarding this investigation to contact the dispatch center at 916-808-5471 or Sacramento Valley Crime Stoppers at 916-443-4357. Callers can remain anonymous and may be eligible for a reward up to $1,000.

If you would like to check out the GoFundMe page, click here.

Image: Voice of Youth