Moberly community comes together to spread awareness about gun violence
Keriana Gamboa
Morberly, Mo. (KMIZ)
Editor’s Note: The last name of the victim on first reference has been corrected.
Sunday evening, members of the Moberly community met for the ‘Justice for Bailey walk’ movement.
People gathered in purple clothing and shirts in remembrance of 23-year-old Bailey Scott, who was shot and killed last Sunday.
The walk began shortly after 7:20 p.m., and at exactly 7:28 p.m., the time organizers say Scott lost her life, participants paused for a moment of silence in her honor.
Brianna Nickerson and Sabrina Johnson, organizers of the walk who were friends of Scott’s, told ABC 17 News they are using their voices to raise awareness about the dangers of gun violence and the importance of taking community concerns seriously.
“We just want to continue to show the love and light that Bailey brought into our lives. And we’ll never stop until she does get justice. And even after that will continue because she deserves the world. And sadly, she was taken from it,” Nickerson said.
They say Bailey’s death could have been prevented if those warnings had been acted on, and shouldn’t have happened in the first place.
“It shouldn’t have happened. There was the man who did this. He had a known history of violence. He had a known history of hurting animals and threatening to hurt people and hurting people,” Johnson said. “The other message we’re trying to send is to take people more seriously. Community members had warned about him in the past, and it wasn’t taken seriously.”
The man charged in connection with the death of Bailey Scott is scheduled to make his first court appearance tomorrow.
David Kip Heyde, 68, was charged with second-degree murder on Thursday. According to police, Heyde allegedly shot and killed Scott outside his home.
Court documents state the incident began when Scott approached Heyde at his residence, reportedly upset about him putting bird food in the road and possibly trying to harm birds.
Heyde told authorities he was holding a gun because he did not recognize the woman at his door. He claimed that he told Scott to leave and alleged that she struck him before he fired two shots.
The arraignment is scheduled to begin at 1:30 p.m. Monday at the Randolph County Courthouse.
The walk was not only a movement for justice it also served as a fundraiser to support Bailey Johnson’s family with funeral expenses.