Trust Established For Shooting Victim’s Daughter
FUND ESTABLISHED: Pictured from left are President and CEO of First Pryority Bank Carter Matthews, who donated $500; Ameshia Clayton; Melrita Gilliam,; Stephen Deborah, First Presbyterian Church of Broken Arrow member; and Rev. Michael J. Barron.
GTR Newspapers photo
First Presbyterian Church of Broken Arrow, 121 W. College, recently announced the establishment of a trust fund for Ameshia Clayton, daughter of a man who came to be known as the “Good Samaritan victim.”
Her father, Andre Clayton, was helping a man to his feet at the North Ridge Shopping Center in the 5000 block of North Peoria Avenue after helping employees carry in supplies to the Northridge Smoke Shop. Clayton was often known to offer help with various odd jobs that arose at the shop, and according to witnesses Clayton recognized the fallen man as a customer who frequented the shopping area.
After the fallen man was helped to his feet, he drew a weapon gun his pants and shot Clayton several times in the upper chest. Clayton fell to the ground and was unresponsive when police officers arrived on the scene. Emergency personnel rushed the severally injured man to St. John’s Medical Center where he was later pronounced dead.
Witnesses were able to provide police with a description of the shooter, which led to the arrest of Michael Dwayne Brown Jr., 32, within a day of the shooting.
Clayton was a vibrant 26-year old father when he was killed, and his daughter Ameshia, now six, is currently in the care of Clayton’s mother, Melrita Gilliam.
In a further unfortunate turn of events, Gilliam, an environmental chemist, was let go by her employer in a cost-cutting purge of employees. She continues to look for work.
To aid the family during these rough times, the First Presbyterian Church of Broken Arrow has established a trust fund for Ameshia. Anyone interested in donating to the fund can do so by contacting any Arvest Bank branch in the Tulsa area.
For more information on the trust fund, call Darrin Adams at Arvest Bank at 631-1404, or contact First Presbyterian Church of Broken Arrow at 251-5174.
Updated 08-22-2006
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