Slain Student Devante Dallas Receives Diplmoa, Standing Ovation Posthumously At Durant High Graduation(June 4, 2010) - # - MyPaperNow.com

MYPAPERNOW

Your Stories. Your Life.

"Local News With Heart" / Join Us In The Journey ©

Email: linda.MyPaperNow@yahoo.com

Slain student Devante Lamar Dallas recognized posthumously at Durant High School gradutation.

gallery pages: 1 2 >

< 1 of 18 >

With heads bowed in prayer and remembrance, the family, friends, and neighbors of Devante Lamar Dallas pay their respects to the fallen classmates of the Durant High School Class of 2010. The moment of silence was requested by Durant Principal Pamela Bowden at the start of the June 4 graduation ceremony, held at the Florida State Fairgrounds.

Dallas, who finished his studies in December 2009, was planning to collect his diploma with Durant's 14th graduating class.

Dallas died on the scene at a classmate's May 23 graduation party at the Barn Theatre at Winthrop in Riverview, according to news reports. Facing second-degree murder charges in the fatal shooting is Khayri Rashaad McCray of Tampa, a student at Spoto High School. McCray was scheduled to graduate from Spoto High School in Riverview on June 8.

Police said a confrontation led to the firing of shots into a crowd at a party that swelled in number beyond its original intent. The two men injured in the shooting were taken to the hospital and treated and released.

See the Guest Book for Devante Lamar Dallas.

"My family and friends, that has been what's kept me going," said Sunceray Dean, who lost her son, Dallas Lamar Devante, in the fatal May 23 graduation party shooting. "Their love. Love is the most powerful thing in life."

When her son's name was called at the Durant High School graduation ceremony, his diploma was received on behalf of the family by Devante's cousin and Durant teacher Al Mitchell Jr., who immediately found Dean to personally put the diploma in her hands. As Devante's names was called, thousands of graduation attendees stood and clapped in respect, including the more than 500 graduating seniors.

Dean said she was heartened by the respect paid her son. Standing with her son's diploma, in the back of the Florida Fairgrounds Expo Hall, she said: "So many different people have recognized my son."

The Durant High School diploma earned by Devante Lamar Dallas, who was shot and killed at a graduation party less than two weeks before his commencement.

Friends, family, and neighbors of Devante Lamar Dallas stand, clap, and shout after his name was called at the June 4, 2010 commencement exercises. Dallas would have been among the "533 seniors who began their high school careers four years ago," as noted by principal Pamela Bowden in her welcoming remarks.

Sunceray Dean, center, stands with family and friends following the receipt of her son's diploma at the 2010 graduation ceremonies for Durant High School in Plant City, Fla. Her son, Devante Dallas, was slain less than two weeks before his commencement at a graduation party that deputies said had swelled to more than 300 attendees.

"There were more than 300 people at that party and it could have happened to any one of them," Dean said. "I'm just thankful that it didn't happen to anyone else in addition to my son."

As for her son, Dean said people should know that he was "always himself," no pretentions. "He was basically quiet," she added. "Respectable and dependable. He was loyal. That's the word, 'loyal.' "

Wearing a shirt iin commemoration of his nephew is Toby Ragins, with Chris Cromie, right, who said he was "a good friend" of the family. "He was a nice guy," Cromie said about Devante Lamar Dallas. "A very nice guy."

Devante Lamar Dallas, born on March 11, 1992, lived to see his 18th birthday. He finished his studies in December 2009 but was planning to graduate with his classmates at Durant High School's June 4, 2010 graduation ceremonies.

A man who identified himself as Phillip, Devante's uncle, said: "He was a person who brings people together."

"He was someone who was going to be something," said a man who identified himself as Phillip, Devante's uncle. "He already was something."

News reports said Devante had finished his studies early, in December 2009, and was enrolled at Hillsborough Community College and planning to major in radiology.

With heads bowed in prayer and remembrance, the family, friends, and neighbors of Devante Lamar Dallas pay their respects to the fallen classmates of the Durant High School Class of 2010. The moment of silence was requested by Durant Principal Pamela Bowden at the start of the June 4 graduation ceremony, held at the Florida State Fairgrounds.

Dallas, who finished his studies in December 2009, was planning to collect his diploma with Durant's 14th graduating class.

Dallas died on the scene at a classmate's May 23 graduation party at the Barn Theatre at Winthrop in Riverview, according to news reports. Facing second-degree murder charges in the fatal shooting is Khayri Rashaad McCray of Tampa, a student at Spoto High School. McCray was scheduled to graduate from Spoto High School in Riverview on June 8.

Police said a confrontation led to the firing of shots into a crowd at a party that swelled in number beyond its original intent. The two men injured in the shooting were taken to the hospital and treated and released.

See the Guest Book for Devante Lamar Dallas.

news reports. Facing second-degree murder charges in the fatal shooting is Khayri Rashaad McCray of Tampa, a student at Spoto High School. McCray was scheduled to graduate from Spoto High School in Riverview on June 8. Police said a confrontation led to the firing of shots into a crowd at a party that swelled in number beyond its original intent. The two men injured in the shooting were taken to the hospital and treated and released. See the Guest Book for Devante Lamar Dallas." href="javascript:openLB(890872816,'',XLarge,'',1024,681);">

Nikon D40 |

More details: exif |

Original size: 3008x2000 |

Current: 800x532 |

Share photo: links, forums, blogs |

Keywords: high lamar rashaad devante dallasdevante dallasshootingdurant schoolgraduationkhayri mccrayspoto

gallery pages: 1 2 >

< 1 of 18 >

Comments