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’He had potential:’ Mother of man shot, killed at Monroeville Mall wonders what led to her son’s death

MONROEVILLE, Pa. — “He had a future. He had potential. He was smart.”

Those words are from the mother of Saheed Gayle, who was shot and killed at Monroeville Mall earlier this month.

Channel 11 reported the man charged in Gayle’s death turned himself in last week.

While his mother feels a sense of relief that an arrest has been made, she tells Channel 11, she still has so many questions about what lead up to her son’s death.

Theresa Kallon said her son was working at the mall after he and his twin brother moved to Pittsburgh. He was also taking classes at CCAC.

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“I just wanted everybody to know who Saheed was. He wasn’t just another African American kid hanging out at the mall. He was actually at work. He worked there every day and opened up his kiosk every day,” Kallon said. "It’s really puzzling to me that after all these years of putting so much values and morals into him for him to stay away from different things just for someone who didn’t raise their child right to just come and take his life away.

Channel 11 was there as the shooter, Lawrence Murphy, turned himself in.

“The way he (Murphy) walked into that building was like unregretful and like my son was just another person and he had taken his life,” she said. "I’m just going to pray for him. I know his day’s coming up will not be peaceful.

Kallon said she thinks there may be more people involved in her son’s death.