WARREN — “I love you so much, live every day like it’s your last.”

Those were some of the last words Shantae Mason, one of five sisters of Jont’e Davis, remembered from their last conversation. She shared those words with a crowd of about 100 people at a vigil on Thursday as family and friends overtook the intersection of Olive Avenue and Scott Street, where Davis was shot to death Saturday afternoon.

Mourners first gathered at the Warren Post Office on High Street, wearing Davis’ favorite colors of green, black and white. Passing around candles, the family led the crowd on a walk through the streets leading to where Davis took his last breath.

“He’s got 10 kids. What are his kids supposed to do?” Mason said at the vigil. “I don’t know why. We’re angry. We’re hurting. They don’t know who they took.”

Mason told the audience, “I gotta go sit out in a graveyard to talk to my brother. Did y’all not know that when I walked into that hospital room to see my baby laying there, a tear was coming down his eyes? He was scared,” she said.

As a crowd formed around a stop sign, now serving as a memorial, Davis’ oldest daughter, Kaiya Davis, alongside Mason, were given a sketched portrait of Davis in homage to the 33-year-old who leaves behind seven sons and three daughters along with six brothers and five sisters.

Fighting through tears, Mason let out a rallying cry “Justice for Jont’e” as the crowd joined her in releasing balloons into the night sky.

As the crowd slowly dissipated, family, friends and coworkers remained overlooking the makeshift memorial of candles surrounding a teddy bear left out in Davis’ memory.

A postal service worker for 12 years, Shelley Weirick remembered Davis as, “the sweetest kindest person,” who she said “seemed to care about everybody.”

Weirick said, “He always had a smile on his face. He was just always willing to help. He was a hard worker and just a good guy.”

Warren Mayor Doug Franklin walked beside the family, calling for “strategic action” to put an end to the violence as the city mourns its first murder of 2024.

“We have a lot of work to do,” Franklin said. “This senseless death is sort of a sign of some of the craziness and sickness that’s going on in our community with gun violence.”

The mayor pleaded to the youth of the community to make sure that measures are taken to prevent violence.

“I’ve been to too many of these vigils and too many of these events sitting with families, being in hospitals. We need to bring an end to this senseless violence,” he said.

The mayor said he believes the solution starts with teaching the younger generation.

“I’ve always said that the first classroom, the most effective classroom, is the home,” Franklin said. “If we don’t start there, Heaven help us because we’ll continue to be at events like this.”

To Franklin, that also means being an “extended village” for those who lack the leadership and support in their home, which the mayor believes is needed in what he called, “an atmosphere that’s tainted by violence.”

Davis was found at 1:44 p.m. Saturday after city police officers responded to a call of shots fired, according to Warren police.

Davis was found inside his U.S. postal van with a gunshot wound after police say he was fired upon by a suspect in another vehicle.

Officers and EMTs performed live-saving measures on scene before Davis was transported to Trumbull Regional Medical Center, where he was pronounced dead.

Late Saturday, the FBI and Mahoning Valley Crisis Response Team arrested someone after serving a search warrant in the 400 block of Maryland Street NE, which is about a mile away from where Davis was shot. However, it is uncertain if the arrest is connected to the shooting. A car was towed from the scene, according to witnesses.

The Warren Police Department has issued an appeal for witnesses or anyone with information related to the shooting to come forward.

Anyone with any information about this case is being asked to contact lead Detective John Greaver at 330-841-2723 or at jgreaver@warren.org.

The United States Postal Inspection Service is offering up to a $250,000 reward for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the suspect(s) involved in Davis’ murder.

A Gofundme social media page organized by the family has a message that reads, “The loss of Jont’e has been completely devastating for our family, and we are reaching out to our friends, family and community to ask for support during this incredibly difficult time. We understand times are tough for many, and any support you can provide is greatly appreciated. The community support we have received thus far has been nothing short of amazing.”

You can donate to the gofundme by following the link, https://www.gofundme.com/f/jonte-the-mailman-davis

Have an interesting story? Contact Chris McBride by email at cmcbride@tribtoday.com.