SEATTLE — "When it comes to my son's case, it is a lot for me. It is not just a number, and it is not just a homicide,” said Selena Taylor.
Taylor says she thinks about the loss of her son Ezra every day.
"He loved people, he loved his community, and he just had a huge heart,” Taylor said.
Everything changed in the Taylor family on Sept. 26, 2021. Ezra had been at a birthday party at a sports pub.
"Everything was great. He was about to leave and go home. He called me on the phone,” said Taylor.
That was the last time she ever heard him alive.
Surveillance video shows a fight in the pub's parking lot led to bullets flying. Ezra, an innocent bystander, was shot and killed.
"That day, it just changed my life forever,” said Taylor. "This had to be justice for my son as well as the others."
Angelia Hylton and Antoine Matthews were also fatally shot that day.
“My son was one of the ones to get shot. He was the first one to get shot,” said Regina Dubose, the mother of Antoine Matthews.
Last month, families gathered at the courthouse in Kent to learn the shooter's fate after a jury found Joshua Puloka guilty. The day of his sentencing included testimony from victims' families and ended with the court’s decision.
The judge sentenced Puloka to a term of total confinement for life without the possibility of early release.
"There is one more person that is off the streets that cannot kill anymore,” said Taylor. “Now I can focus on my son's legacy."
She's proud to see in the middle of a neighborhood park, a memorial with Ezra's favorite quote.
"The bench that is there in Des Moines, when people see that they will automatically think ‘keep it easy.’ Wow, this was Ezra's saying,” Taylor said.
Taylor is a mom on a mission to turn her pain into purpose. She carries posters with her son's picture when she goes into the community to share Ezra's story.
"I know the journey all too well,” she said.
She is helping others learn about the toll violence can take while pushing for more ways to prevent it.
"We don't have much time here. We don't even know how much time we have,” said Taylor. “It is exciting for me to know that I am still here to make a change."
KING 5's More Than a Number series seeks to give a face to those killed and a voice to their family and closest friends. If you would like to honor a loved one you lost, you can use the form below or email us at MoreThanANumber@king5.com to tell us about them, and we will add them to our memorial page.
If you need help or support in your time of loss, please visit our resource guide. For more details on this project, please visit king5.com/MoreThanANumber.