In a tragic act of violence on December 1, 2024, Daremon Waldon, a 17-year-old male from Chattanooga, Tennessee, was shot and killed. Known as 'Doopie' to his loved ones, he was a student at Howard High School where he was enrolled in honors classes. He had a passion for both basketball and baseball, spending countless hours dedicated to the sports.
On that Sunday, a domestic incident unfolded at his home.
His mother, Rhonda Waldon, had repeatedly asked Dejuan Rowland to leave their residence. When he eventually went outside, she locked the door. Rowland then attempted to re-enter through a different door. As he tried to force his way in, he fired multiple shots through the door. Daremon, in a final act of love and protection, stood between his mother and the gunfire. He was struck multiple times and later succumbed to his injuries at a local hospital. His mother remembers him as a caretaker, a natural-born leader, and a loving older brother to his six younger siblings.
Following an investigation into the fatal shooting, Chattanooga Police identified Dejuan Rowland as the suspect. He was located and arrested overnight on December 18, 2024, at a home on Delbert Lane, approximately a mile and a half from the scene of the shooting. Rowland has been charged with first-degree murder and is currently in custody at the Hamilton County Jail.
