Damion D. Davis, known to loved ones as "Boo," was a 29-year-old Black man from Omaha, Nebraska. Remembered by friends as "sweet & down 2 earth," he was part of a large family. He was survived by his father, Michael Harper; a son, Damion Davis, Jr.; a sister, Lena Davis; a brother, Michael Harper, Jr.; and his grandmothers. At the time of his death, he also had a special friend, Monique Rogers. Tragically, Damion would never meet his daughter, who was born just two months after he was killed. His death left a void in the lives of those who loved him, a family that would continue to post messages of love and remembrance for years to come.
The end of Damion’s life came in the early morning hours of Sunday, August 19, 2012. In a neighborhood in North Omaha, a witness reported a terrifying scene: a man running for his life as two other men chased him through the streets. The witness then heard the distinct sound of gunshots piercing the quiet of the morning.
The chase was desperate and short-lived, ending in a burst of violence that would soon draw the attention of law enforcement.
The Omaha Police Department was first alerted to the incident not by a 911 call, but by its Shotspotter gunshot detection system, which pinpointed the location of the gunfire near North 30th Street. Officers were dispatched to the area to investigate the alert. At around 7 a.m., their search led them to the backyard of a vacant house near the intersection of North 30th and Laurel streets. There, they made a grim discovery: the body of a man who had been shot to death. The victim was soon identified as Damion Davis.
Immediately following the discovery, investigators cordoned off a two-block radius around the home, canvassing the neighborhood and searching for any evidence or clues that might lead them to the two men seen chasing Damion. An Omaha Police Department spokesman, Jacob Bettin, confirmed to the media that officers had found a deceased male after responding to the Shotspotter notification. Despite the extensive search of the area, the suspects were not located, and no arrests were made in the immediate aftermath of the homicide.
As police conducted their investigation, a local pastor, the Rev. John Ford of the Second Adventist Christian Church, stood near the crime scene tape and prayed. He spoke about the persistent tragedy of violence in the community, regardless of the day of the week. "It's another day in which we have more crime," he said. "Always feel bad for the family that loses a loved one. We have so many funerals in the black community, so many people die. It just breaks your heart." He explained that his church was actively trying to minister to the neighborhood and teach a better way of life to combat the cycle of violence.
More than a decade has passed, but the pain of Damion's loss remains fresh for his family. A year after his death, a loved one wrote in a memorial, "One year ago today I gained an Angel. Continue to watch over me." Years later, his daughter, who grew up knowing her father only through stories and pictures, wrote a heartbreaking message online: "I miss you so much daddy, I really wish u was here right now to guide me and show me wrong from right... I already know u watching over me. I love you pops rest in paradise."
The murder of Damion Davis remains unsolved. No suspects have ever been publicly named, and no arrests have been made. His case is now considered a cold case within the Omaha Police Department. For his children, parents, and friends, the years have brought no answers and no justice. The two men who chased him down on that August morning have never been held accountable, leaving a family to navigate their grief without closure. The investigation is inactive but remains open, waiting for the piece of information that could finally solve this case.
