They city’s other holiday weekend killing happened yesterday afternoon – when the quiet of the holiday was interrupted by the sound of multiple gunshots. 32 year old Brian Benji Williams had been killed, executed really – by a gunman with what appeared to be a singular purpose. Jacqueline Godwin found out more.
Ruth Ortiz, Mother of Murdered Son
“I don’t know. I don’t have no idea, no idea.”
Jacqueline Godwin,
Did Brian mention to you if anybody was threatening his life, if he was scared of anything?
Ruth Ortiz,
“No he didn’t say anything to me because he is a person who barely talks. He is quiet and he doesn’t talk at all.”
Jacqueline Godwin,
He keeps everything inside.
Ruth Ortiz,
“Everything.”
Ruth Ortiz and her children are at a loss as to why their son and brother thirty two year old Brian Jeffery Williams better known as Benji was gunned down and killed as he painted the concrete railing of this family friend’s house situated at the corner of Faber’s Road and Nurse Findley Crescent.
Jacqueline Godwin,
Do you believe it was somebody who was monitoring his movements?
Ruth Ortiz,
“I feel so because they must have passed and saw him there and they
must have said this is their chance to get to him if they wanted to get him.”
Jacqueline Godwin,
Do you know if anything was taken from him?
Ruth Ortiz,
“No, nothing.”
From all indications the early Monday afternoon homicide was not the result of any botched robbery or random violence: someone wanted Brian Jeffrey Williams dead.
Jacqueline Godwin,
The police say they have one person detained and they are looking for another individual who they know so it sounds as if they are suggesting that two people may be involved in your son’s murder. But the way how it went down, it looks as if he was specifically targeted, it wasn’t a mistake, they wanted him dead.
Ruth Ortiz,
“Because the person knew his name too.”
Jacqueline Godwin,
How you know that?
Ruth Ortiz,
“Because the lady who own the house says the person called his name. The person told the little boy to go inside because I will shoot Brian right now.”
As the family continues to look for answers, information to 7News is that when the gunman arrived at the location, there was a little boy no older than fur years old inside the yard at the time. The shooter allegedly told the boy to go inside the house; I am here to kill Brian. Shortly after, gunshots rang out. Brian Jeffrey Williams was hit at least eight times: shot to the left jaw, left side of the chest, upper right thigh, right rib cage, left buttocks and twice to the right side of the back.
Christada Williams, Sister of Murder Victim
“Well I heard he went into the yard from through the back and he told the boy to go inside because he will kill Brian right now and the little boy told the boy not my Brian and he said yes and didn’t you hear I said to go inside because I will kill Brian right now and that is how the little boy went inside because he had brought water outside for Brian. And so the little boy went inside and when they shot Brian about two times, I heard Brian drop to pick up a pint to stone him and he knocked the pint out of Brian’s hand and then after that he crossed over Brian and started to shoot up Brian.”
But police say Brian Jefferey Williams better known as Benji is known to them. In fact authorities hinted that the murder victim Brian Williams and Windell Zelaya better known as Coolie who was killed last Tuesday night are from two rival groups. Today they are investigating to determine if both homicides are connected.
Sr. Supt. David Henderson,
“It seems like it was a planned murder and it seems as it is something rather brazen but we haven’t really established what is the motive although I do know that one is from the Gill Street area and the other is from Southside. So I know it is two rival groups.”
Christada Williams,
“He is not into no kind of criminal acts or things like that so I don’t know what the young man wanted to kill Brian for if it is for retaliation. I don’t know if it is for retaliation or beef but I would just want to tell that person that he better stop his fool because if people think about turning around and try to do his people that, it will be rat, cat, ants, and everybody will go because everybody has feelings out here. Everybody has their mom, brother, sister, and everybody loves their people.”
It is the second time that the Williams family has lost a loved one. Fourteen years ago, their father was gunned down and killed.
Alvin Williams, Brother of Murder Victim
“We grow up at the same spot where they killed my brother. Across the street in 1993 they killed my father. My brother died right where my old man died.”
Christada Williams,
“I don’t know if it is the big jefe sending him but he better be careful because we are not into those violence. We just justice out here. We don’t want any kind of violence.”
Alvin Williams,
“I am not going to do anybody nothing. Just know that the good Lord is sleeping. That is their own thing.”
Jacqueline Godwin,
So the family isn’t seeking revenge?
Alvin Williams,
“Right now we are not on that revenge thing. We are on just taking care of my brother and burying my brother.”
