The family of D’Avry Thomas is on a mission to bring hope and positive change to the community in the wake of tragedy. Moments after the June 7 verdict and the sentencing of two men charged in the drive-by shooting in Downtown Pittsburgh that killed 18-month-old D’Avry on May 29, 2022, his godfather, Kahlil Darden Jr., announced a new community center in Penn Hills would be named for the little boy. The midday shooting on Memorial Day weekend shook the community and created concerns about safety in Downtown Pittsburgh. D’Avry was inside a car with his mother, De’Shea Green, near the intersection of Fourth Avenue and Stanwix Street when the shooting occurred. After a year of investigation and trial, Markez Anger and Londell Falconer Jr. were found guilty of first-degree murder and sentenced to life in prison. 

Photo Credit: Abby Yoder/Pittsburgh Magazine