Wilmington family remembers a 'bright light' in teen lost to shooting at Delaware State

She didn't think too much about Camay saying goodbye.

Her niece was the life of that Sunday dinner, just like any other family gathering, Charlotte De Silva Davis explained from the family's Wilmington living room. Charlotte had been cleaning up in the kitchen, expecting Camay to shout, "I'm leaving! See you later!" between dishes.

"She came in the kitchen, and she said, 'Bye, Mimi, I love you.' And she kissed me on the cheek, and it was a different goodbye that day, April 14," Charlotte said, gripping tissues and facing microphones. "It was a different bye that day. And I looked at her, and I didn't know what I was feeling. And I just said, 'Bye, baby girl. I'll see you later.'

"I didn't know that would be my last Sunday cooking for her."

A living room became a press conference Thursday, as Camay De Silva's family hoped to share more of her story than the shooting at Delaware State University that took her life on April 21. Cameras, microphones and stray wires briefly took over the cozy space in Northeast Wilmington.

Martin De Silva's eyes were still wet with tears as a sound check started. The grandfather sat with Charlotte to his left and Camay's mom, Shanelle, to his right, framed by towering posters stuffed with photos of their lost daughter, granddaughter and niece.

Images flashed from her Concord High School graduation gown, to her prom photoshoot, to old childhood smiles, hugs and family gathering for reasons nothing like this cloudy morning. Martin described a sharp child, always ahead of the curve, talking at 6 months old, picking up some reading by 2 years.

"Camay was a diligent, bright, witty young lady," her grandfather said, first to speak among family, while others quietly lined the back room and more stayed away from cameras upstairs. "When she entered a room, she brightened the room. And over the last couple of days, we sit down in this place, and in our anticipation, we want to see her come through that door."

His front door was bolted shut just a few steps away.

"The reality is that she's not," he continued. "And in order for us to continue life as we must, we have to go through the pain that we're going through right now. But I want the world to know about my granddaughter."

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'I wish she would have made it'

She always had a story.

Charlotte smiled, thinking of how many times she had heard "Let me tell you what happened," as her niece was ready with details to give, a joke to tell, more energy to share. In the close family unit, she was basically one of Charlotte's kids, too.

"I had to listen to many of her stories," she said. "And I wish she would have made it that day. She could have come home and tell me another one of her stories, and I would have listened — and said, 'Camay, get to the point.'"

The New Jersey native moved with her family to Delaware back in 2015, family said, attending middle and high school in the Wilmington area. Camay supported those she loved, ready to lift their spirits, offer to babysit and generally look out for family and friends. Her mom said she never stopped being impressed by her first born.

She had an early interest in technology, Shanelle told the group. Family turned to Camay with all their tech issues, as she had already begun learning how to code by age 9. Looking ahead, Camay had her eyes on a career in cybersecurity. She planned to transfer and finish her degree in computer science at Delaware State University.

"She was visiting her best friend that is a student at DSU," Shanelle said, thinking back to last weekend. "But she wanted to go to DSU, so she went there to get a feel for the campus. And she also knew other students there, so it was, you know: 'I'm going to be here soon.'"

Last weekend, De Silva was on that Dover campus to catch up, to take part in some spring campus festivities. Her family never expected her not to come home.

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A life lost to gun violence

Details from police remain limited.

De Silva family members said they, too, don't have a good idea of what led up to the shooting that would take a "bright light" out of their lives. Speakers didn't want to comment more on an active investigation.

But back in the early hours of Sunday morning, Camay was shot just outside the north end of an underpass outside Warren Franklin Residential Hall. Found after a call reported it by 1:40 a.m., April 21, DeSilva was unconscious when rushed to the hospital, police said. She couldn't be saved.

Police said no one else was injured. De Silva was identified by Monday morning after the family was reached. Tuesday, Delaware State shared resources with the university community in a virtual forum. And Wednesday saw a vigil hosted on campus.

Camay is survived by a large extended family and one little sister. Family members and their local pastor encouraged anyone with information related to Camay's case to come forward. The De Silvas hope to remember her legacy soon, in the midst now of planning a celebration of life. A GoFundMe has started to support that planning, as confirmed by family members.

This investigation continues, led by Dover police. Anyone with information is asked to call 302-736-7130, while remaining anonymous. Law enforcement did not make a presence at this press conference or deliver an update Thursday.

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Got a story? Contact Kelly Powers at 231-622-2191 or kepowers@gannett.com. Follow her on X @kpowers01.