Tribute to Jacob Dwight

My beautiful son Jacob Dwight, a Christian, a lifeguard, college student and LOVING son was shot by a man who acquired his gun legally, although he lied on his application stating he did not abuse alcohol or drugs. He blew .14 with a breathalizer after he shot my beloved son, whose family had to watch him die while on life support in a Fort Wayne, Indiana hospital. I could not let him go. It has ruined our lives: mine, as his mother, his father’s and his brother’s. This crime happened in a small town that was not equipped to handle such an event. My son’s killer was given a light sentence and he lied about the circumstances and what really happened. He was rumored to have been threatening others with the .357 he bought with his last paycheck before he was laid off from work. He served 129 days in jail, and June 11, 2012 was sentenced to six years. He plead guilty with an expected date of release of May 5, 2014. The state asked for the maximum sentence but the judge believed the defendant, who lied continually. Our son, a trusting beautiful soul whom everyone loved, deserved to have his life and all the expectations that come with that right. We miss him and love him so much more than words can say. I still can’t believe he was taken. His time on earth was so short: May 17, 1990 – November 16, 2010. Our lives are destroyed by one man’s obsession with a gun and it was not taken as seriously as it should have been.