In the summer of 2023, a life was tragically cut short in Omaha, Nebraska. Deving Willis-Smith, a 30-year-old Black / African American man, was fatally shot on the evening of July 19th. The incident occurred shortly before 9 p.m. at 2730 Whitmore Street. When Omaha Police Department officers arrived at the scene, they discovered Willis-Smith suffering from a gunshot wound.
The officers immediately began administering CPR until medics from the Omaha Fire Department arrived.
Willis-Smith was then transported to the University of Nebraska Medical Center in critical condition. Despite the efforts of medical personnel to save his life, he was pronounced dead at the hospital. His death was classified as a homicide, marking another instance of gun violence in the community.
The Omaha Police Homicide Unit promptly launched an investigation into the shooting. Their efforts led to the arrest of a suspect, 31-year-old Mark Keesler, in connection with Willis-Smith's death. Keesler was subsequently booked on charges of manslaughter and use of a weapon to commit a felony. Following his arrest, Mark Keesler pled no contest to the manslaughter charge in June and was later sentenced to 6 to 15 years in prison for his role in the death of Deving Willis-Smith.
