SILVER SPRING, Md. — The devastation could be felt in Damion Callery Jr.’s community after he was shot and killed in August, but there was a second community that felt that grief.
The Riderwood Senior Living Facility in Silver Spring held a memorial service Sunday night for not only the employees Damion worked with at the facility, but the residents he served at the community’s restaurants.
"Terrible sadness, deep sadness, I cried," resident Phil Wogaman said of his reaction to learning Damion had been shot. "Not that I had known him really well, but he was a part of this community and related to all of us."
The senior community had a full memorial service, and Damion’s family was also there.
"We were very surprised," Damion’s father Damion Callery Sr. said about getting the call to have a memorial. "I had no idea my son had touched so many people’s lives, especially people he worked with and the residents here. It amazes me, and it makes me happy."
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Damion was an 18-year-old with dreams and aspirations. He had just graduated from high school and planned to go to Bowie State.
"It’s hard," Callery Sr. said. "But it’s just something we just have to learn to live with and people are making it a lot easier for us, telling us what a good kid we had."
People like Wogaman, who is seeing the broader impact of violence.
"It’s a reminder that our society has become way too violent and there’s no way to cure it all, but we’ve got to do a lot better and have to do so much more," Wogaman said.
Anyone with information on Callery's murder is asked to call police at 240-773-5070. Tipsters may call Crime Solvers of Montgomery County toll-free at 866-411-TIPS (8477). Crime Solvers will pay a cash reward of up to $10,000 for information provided to them that leads to the arrest and/or indictment of this suspect(s). Tipsters may remain anonymous.