Family urges justice for daughter killed at graduation ceremony

COLUMBUS, Ohio — Da’Mya Cummerlander was at a graduation party over the weekend when she was shot, her family said.

The shooting occurred early Sunday morning in the 2600 block of Woodsedge Road. According to Columbus police, responding officers arrived at the scene and found Cummerlander suffering from a gunshot wound. She was pronounced dead minutes later.

Cummerlander had just turned 18 in May and was due to start a new job at a nursing home this week with her cousin.

She graduated from New Albany High School in 2023 and was thinking about what she wanted to do with her life. She even considered joining the Army.

“Da’Mya loved everyone. She was very caring, fun to be around, and she had her whole life ahead of her – her whole life, and she had so much to look forward to because she was a unique individual. She was not an average child,” said her mother, Monique Thompson.

Her mother said her death was senseless.

“Everyone is devastated and speechless right now. It’s just hard to deal with – to think that someone would do something so evil for no reason. She didn’t hurt anyone,” Thompson said. “People say she was in a good mood that night. They were having fun, she wasn’t aggressive or anything. It was for no reason.”

Da’Mya leaves behind a sister, two brothers, her dog Cutie and a large extended family.

“This shouldn’t have happened,” said her father, Daron Cummerlander.

As of Monday, police had not identified a suspect in the shooting.

Her family wants to push for justice.

“I just want people to know that Da’Mya was loved and that we will not rest until justice is served and the perpetrator is behind bars,” Thompson said.

Anyone with information is asked to contact the Columbus Police Department Homicide Unit at 614-645-4730 or Central Ohio Crime Stoppers at 614-461-TIPS (8477).