COLLIERVILLE, Tenn. — A Memphis mom was left grieving after hearing the news that her son was gunned down in a Collierville neighborhood. Tawanda Scaife said her son’s life was apparently only worth $250 to the gunmen. Scaife said once the people responsible are in custody, she doesn’t even believe jail time for them is fair.
Scaife said her son was the father of a 1-year-old baby girl named Ava, who will now sadly grow up without a father. She recalled the initial interaction she had with officers Thursday when she arrived to the crime scene on Starlight Drive.
“I said, ‘I’m trying to see is that my son. Is my son dead? Tavien Traylor?’”said Scaife.
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Gripped with feelings of fear and dread, Scaife said she rushed to the scene, met with news that would change her life forever.
“The only thing he told me was, ‘my condolences.’” said Scaife.
Scaife’s only son, 27-year-old Tavien Traylor was gunned down inside a Collierville community near US-72 Thursday afternoon.
“They heard 7 rounds of gunshots,” said Scaife.
The brokenhearted mom described her son as a good person and a businessman.
“He owned several 18-wheelers,” said Scaife.
More importantly, she said he was an outstanding dad.
“He’s the father to a 1-year-old little girl that will not remember him, and he adored her,” said Scaife.
For this mother, she doesn’t know what will come next.
“They took my soul mate. They took my soul.” Scaife said. “It’s not even called coping. I don’t know what it’s called. I just take one breath at a time.”
She told FOX13 boldly that the gunman who took her son away from his family doesn’t even deserve prison time, but something far worse.
“The electric chair. That’s how I look at it. Why should you be able to be alive? You took a life,” she said.
Tavien leaves his mom and 1-year-old daughter, for whom the family was planning a 2nd birthday party. Tavien also had a sister and fiancé, who is the mother of their 1-year-old little girl.
FOX13 reached out to the Collierville Police Department to learn more about the status of the investigation.
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