SEATTLE — Terrence and Raylando Wilford were identified by the King County Medical Examiner's Office as the two men who died after being shot at Cal Anderson Park in Seattle's Capitol Hill neighborhood on April 29.
The brothers, 29 and 33, leave behind a grieving family that's trying to process their tragic deaths.
“I just don’t understand why they did this to my babies," their mother said. "Those boys, they were really good boys."
Fearing for her safety, their mother asked KING 5 to not identify her until whoever killed her sons is arrested.
With family and friends close by, Raylando and Terrence's mother recounted how her sons, Ray and TT as they were affectionally called, were friends to all and helped people in their community.
"Last summer, those boys stayed out here (Cal Anderson Park) all night, feeding those in need," she said of her sons. "They'd go right around the corner to that grocery store to make sure they didn't run out of food for anyone." Generosity was a value their mother says she instilled into them from a young age. Speaking up for what's right was also a trait she passed on to them.
"They wouldn't start trouble but if they saw someone being bullied, they'd step in to protect the person who couldn't stick up for themselves."
When the shootings happened, Seattle Police reported three people were shot. Terrence died at the scene, Raylando on the way to the hospital. A third person is still hospitalized. SPD is still looking for a fourth person that left the scene after the shooting.
“I cried, I cried. I said 'Lord. no.' They said TT was gone and I said 'Lord please don’t take my other baby, please don’t take him, please don’t take him,'" but their mom says she had a feeling both of her sons were going to die, a feeling from God who she's leaning on during this difficult time.
“I’m hurt. I’m torn, but I believe in God and this too shall pass."
Originally from New Orleans, Ray and TT were brought to the Pacific Northwest for a better life 20 years ago. Their mom didn't want them to be killed in the streets of New Orleans, making their deaths in the streets of Seattle even more painful.
"I want justice for them. I would like somebody to come forward, whoever knows. If you all say you love us the way you did and you seen what happened and you know who it is," their mother said.
Funerals for Terrence and Raylando will take place in New Orleans in the next week. A GoFundMe has been created to be able to fly family from Seattle to NOLA for the funerals.
SPD is asking anyone with information that could help them make an arrest to call the Violent Crimes Tip Line at (206) 233-5000.