John Drake Jr. calls mom to say ‘I love you’ before suicide
By Marissa Sulek
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NASHVILLE, Tennessee (WSMV) — Valeria East, the mother of John Drake Jr., spoke with WSMV4 the day after her son died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound after a three-day long search.
East said Drake Jr. called her the day he died. She said he told her “I love you,” and she replied, “I love you too,” and that was the entire phone call.
Wednesday, East said she was spending the day with family and friends as she grieves the loss of her son.
She pleaded for him to surrender to authorities a day before when WSMV4′s Danielle Jackson spoke with her.
“Come home. I need him to call and turn himself in. That’s exactly what I want him to do,” said East.
John Drake Jr. was on the TBI Most Wanted list after being accused of shooting two La Vergne police officers during a traffic stop on Stones River Road on Saturday.
East said the last time she spoke with her son was Oct. 15. She said he would always visit her. She doesn’t understand what led up to his actions.
“I’d rather see him locked up, than be where I would have to bury him,” said East.
She said her biggest fear is for her son not to make it out of this situation alive.
The shooting happened at a Dollar General on Stones River Road Saturday afternoon. Police responded there after a license plate reader hit on a stolen car. Officers Ashley Boleyjack and Gregory Kern were shot and hospitalized. Both have since been released.
Metro Nashville Police Chief John Drake released a statement after the death of Drake Jr., his estranged son.
“I am grateful to the members of law enforcement, including many officers from this department, who worked diligently since Saturday to locate my son and bring him into custody,” Chief Drake said in the statement released on Wednesday morning. “It was my prayer that no harm would come to him or anyone else. I am heartbroken and saddened by the outcome. I appreciate the condolences and kind words of support as my family and I privately mourn our loss.”
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