“Crash team investigators continue to follow up on leads while talking to witnesses. This case is active and ongoing while police seek anyone with first-hand knowledge of the incident or who may have witnessed the incident to contact police at 410-819-4721. Callers will remain confidential. Once the investigation is complete, it will be presented to the Worcester County State’s Attorney’s Office for review.”
This was the full statement from Maryland State Police in response to this week’s inquiry for an update on the investigation into 14-year-old Gavin Knupp’s death. Knupp was killed seven weeks ago in a heinous hit-and-run collision near Ocean Pines.
The most disturbing part of the statement was the same sentiment could have been released days after the fatal collision. The statement makes it seem investigators are not further along today toward filing charges than they were the week of the incident. It’s natural for the community to be in an uproar and demand an arrest in the teen’s death.
The ultimate goal for everyone is #justiceforgavin, a social media movement seeking to bring accountability for the driver who ran over the teen and callously continued without stopping. Those who may have helped the motorist in the hours and days following should also face repercussions if deceptive actions are proven.
Over the last two months since the incident, the family has continued to show confidence in the authorities conducting the investigation. The general public seems to be less sure of the process, but once again the family’s strength and restraint should be commended. Those growing impatient should emulate those who loved Gavin the most. If the mom, dad and sister can show poise in the face of unimaginable grief, public can do the same. Family attorney Neil Dubovsky said this week in a statement, “Those who are responsible for Gavin’s death know who they are, and we will not rest until they have all been held to account.” Tiffany and Ray Knupp, Gavin’s parents, said, “We continue to have full trust and confidence in law enforcement to complete their investigation and in the legal system to hold those responsible accountable for their crimes. We also implore anyone with information related to Gavin’s death to come forward and share that information with the police.”
Gavin’s parents specifically saluted their high school-aged daughter Summer for “her strength and courage” after the loss of her younger brother. She was featured on a television segment this week following her first-place junior angler finish in last month’s Poor Girls Open. She spoke highly of her brother, while also believing he remains with her in many ways. Of her little brother, who would have been starting his freshman year in high school next week, she said, “Gavin was a very joyful person. He was one of the funniest people I know. Every time he would walk into a room, he would light it up … he cared more about others than about himself. He was always on the go, ready to do something or help someone and try to make everyone laugh. … We were definitely best friends…”
If the family members can continue to show this confidence, faith and poise in the process to justice, we should all simply follow their lead.
