A Michigan man left behind 17 children, and was expecting two more, after he was shot and killed on Sunday.
Rickey Dempsey, 34, was gunned down around 3am in a parking lot across the street from the Boogie Down motorcycle club, according to WLIX.
An acquaintance took him to the nearby Henry Ford Allegiance Health, where he was soon pronounced dead, Jackson police reported.
An investigation has revealed there was a party in parking lot that Jackson was attending. No arrests have been made yet.
Rickey Dempsey, 34 (pictured), left behind 17 children and was expecting two more, after he was shot and killed on Sunday around 3am at a party in Jackson, Michigan
Dempsey’s girlfriend, Allie Navarre (right, with Dempsey), who was not at the party, said the shooting had nothing to do with him. Rather, he was trying to break up a fight up and ‘was just caught in the crossfire’
She and Dempsey have three children together – ages seven, five and 10 months – and Navarre is pregnant with their fourth, a baby girl due in December (pictured, two of Dempsey’s three children with Navarre)
Dempsey’s girlfriend, Allie Navarre, who was not at the party, told Michigan Live the shooting had nothing to do with him. Rather, he was trying to break up a fight up and ‘was just caught in the crossfire’.
She and Dempsey have three children together – ages seven, five and 10 months – and Navarre is pregnant with their fourth, a baby girl due in December.
She described Dempsey as playful, nurturing and caring with his children.
His oldest is 15 years old while his youngest is nine months old.
‘He left a lot of them behind,’ LaToyia Dempsey said of her brother. ‘He did do for all of them…the best way he could.
According to Dempsey’s sister, he was excited to be working and had been employed in the construction trade.
According to Dempsey’s sister, he (pictured, left) was excited to be working and had been employed in the construction trade after earning a forklift license
Last year, Dempsey (left) was released from federal prison. In March 2012, he’d been sentenced to four years for being a felon in possession of a firearm. He had a history of felony convictions – mostly for drugs crimes and one for felonious assault -and a long list of arrests
The shooting occurred at a parking lot across the street from the Boogie Down motorcycle club (pictured)
Last year, Dempsey was released from federal prison. In March 2012, he’d been sentenced to four years for being a felon in possession of a firearm.
The 34-year-old had a history of felony convictions – mostly for drugs crimes and one for felonious assault -and a long list of arrests.
In 2011, after being arrested, he admitted to police he was selling crack cocaine and indicated he was a member of the Vice Lords gang, but was no longer active, according to a court document.
In prison, he earned his GED and various certificates, including a forklift license, and called every day, Navarre said.
‘He just really tried to change his life around and do for the better, focus on his kids,’ she said.