On a late October night in Flint, Michigan, three-year-old Messiah Williams was in his living room with his babysitter and older sibling when dozens of bullets tore through the house. The young Black boy was struck in the head and rushed to a local hospital in critical condition. He died from his injuries on October 23, 2020. His family remembered him as an innocent and loving child whose favorite thing was Yoda.
Investigators determined the shooting was an act of retaliation, and that
Messiah was not the intended target. Authorities stated the gunfire was aimed at a man who was staying at the home. That man was reportedly a suspect in the recent murder of the mother of one of the men later charged in Messiah's death. The Genesee County Prosecutor described the tragic shooting as a senseless outcome of a spiraling series of violent incidents.
Four men were ultimately charged in connection with the crime. Shamir Banks, London Walton, and Camron Burnett were accused of carrying out the shooting, while Desean Montez Davis was accused of organizing it. After the shooting, Banks, Walton, and Burnett fled to Georgia, where they were eventually apprehended and extradited back to Michigan. The men were charged with multiple offenses, including first-degree murder and conspiracy.
After years of legal delays that caused continued anguish for Messiah’s family, a monthlong trial for Banks, Walton, and Burnett began in the spring of 2026. The three men were tried together but had separate juries. In April 2026, the verdicts were announced. Shamir Banks was found guilty of first-degree murder and other related charges. His co-defendants, London Walton and Camron Burnett, were acquitted of all charges. A fourth man, Desean Davis, accepted a plea deal for a charge of accessory after the fact to a felony.
On June 8, 2026, Shamir Banks was sentenced to 30 to 60 years in prison. The judge noted that Banks's age at the time of the crime—20 years old—prevented a sentence of life without parole under Michigan Supreme Court rulings. Messiah’s family expressed their heartbreak over the acquittals and the length of the sentence, stating that true justice would be having their little boy back.
In the wake of their loss, Messiah's family began advocating for "Messiah's Law," proposed legislation aimed at increasing penalties for those who fire into an occupied building and cause injury or death to a child. As of June 2026, the bill had passed in the Michigan House and was awaiting approval from the Senate.
