Thomas Breen photos
Andrea Williams and Ella Williams, the mothers of two murdered men, hug through their tears on Wednesday.
Homicide victims Dai Quan Hyman and Ernist Williams (below), who were both shot dead on Aug. 25 on Dickerman St.
Andrea Williams stood between her pastor and the police chief, speaking to a group of reporters about the pain of losing her son to gun violence — and about the gratitude she feels for the swift arrest of his alleged killer.
She then looked down at her notepad and began to read a list of names of the many people and organizations that stepped up to help her family in their time of need.
That list included friends, witnesses, detectives, counselors, hospital staff, victims advocates, elected officials, and anonymous donors. With each name, she painted a picture of a community standing behind her amidst such tragedy.
“Our pages were running out,” she said as she looked down at that list, about just how many names were written down in front of her. “If I forget anybody, forgive me.”
Williams is the mother of Dai Quan Hyman, a 26-year-old from East Haven who was shot and killed alongside 32-year-old New Havener Ernist Williams in a double homicide on Dickerman Street in the early afternoon of Monday, Aug. 25.
Roughly two weeks after the fatal shootings, city police arrested 39-year-old New Havener Sergio Thomas on two counts of murder. He has not yet entered pleas to those charges, and is currently being held on a $3 million bond.
An arrest warrant affidavit written by lead Det. Joseph Galvan describes the video surveillance footage, cellphone records, witness interviews, a pistol permit photograph, and a tobacco purchase at the Sam’s Mart on Whalley that led police to identify Thomas as the man they believe murdered Hyman and Williams. During an interview with the Independent following Thomas’ Sept. 5 arrest, the suspect’s attorney said that the fatal shooting took place as his client, a legally licensed pistol owner, stepped in to defend his own brother.
On Wednesday, friends and family of the two murder victims gathered with Police Chief Karl Jacobson, Mayor Justin Elicker, and a handful of other top cops to commemorate the two men lost to gun violence, and to urge the public not to commit such acts of violence.
“That was my baby,” Ella Williams said through tears about her son Ernist, “and he took him away from me.”
“You will never hear his voice again. You will never see him smile again,” Ernist’s sister Jennifer said, “because of a situation that could have been prevented.”
Andrea Williams, Dai Quan Hyman’s mother, spoke about how her son will be survived by his only child, an 8‑year-old son. “Violence is clearly not the answer,” she said.
And then she looked down at the paper before her and began to thank everyone who has come through for her in the month since her son’s death.
First, “my church,” Wayfaring Ministries, and her pastor, Tanya Randall, who stood alongside her during Wednesday’s press conference.
“All of our friends,” Williams said. “Friends came out of the woodwork for us.”
She thanked “anonymous helpers,” her employer, and Colonial Funeral Home (“Peter, sorry Peter, I can’t pronounce your last name”).
She thanked Yale New Haven Hospital, and in particular a counselor named Valerie (“She went above and beyond with her compassion”).
She thanked “witnesses, 911 callers,” anyone who came forward with home camera videos. (“A special thanks to you for opening your mouths. … I know it’s scary to do that,” but this is how cases get solved.)
She thanked “donators from all over,” including those who contributed to a GoFundMe to help pay for her grandson to travel from California back to New Haven.
She thanked Yale’s Violence Intervention Program and Clifford Beers and Bereavement Care’s Nakia Dawson.
“A special thanks to Officer Curry,” the New Haven Police Department’s victims advocate. (“To me, she was a sister. She was a loved one” as Williams grieved her son’s death.)
She thanked Mayor Elicker “for being everywhere,” including at her son’s funeral.
She thanked Assistant Chief David Zannelli and Det. Joseph Galvan and “all of the New Haven Police Department involved in this case.”
“They were good to me,” she said about the city police she’s interacted with, “and I thank you for that.”
Andrea Williams (center): "Our pages were running out."
Ella Williams: Ernist "was a good person. He had changed his ways."
Chief Jacobson: "We can't do it without the community's help."