An Indiana mother rebuked woke bail funds after a cocaine and burglary suspect was freed and ‘murdered her son.’
Nikki Sterling – the mother of Dylan McGinnis, 24, who was shot and killed on October 1 – is lashing out against The Bail Project after the organization helped get the suspected ‘killer’ Travis Lang, 23, out of jail on cocaine possession and burglary charges in January.
The grieving mother was ‘shocked’ to find out that the organization supported ‘violent offenders to get out [of jail]’ by bailing inmates out. It is one of a number that have been heavily promoted on social media since Black Lives Matter protests in the wake of George Floyd’s murder, and raises cash to bail those who cannot afford to make bail themselves.
‘If I can help prevent this from happening to any other family, then I would say that, you know, my life has been purposeful and also carrying out the legacy of my son, who was always so helpful to other people,’ Sterling said.
Lang was being held in jail for possession of cocaine and three felony charges for breaking and entering, resisting arrest and burglary prior to posting his bail. Lang was let out in January after he posted his $5,650 bail, which The Bail Project provided a portion of the fund, while his family stumped up the rest. It is unknown how much the organization provided.
Nikki Sterling (right) has lashed out against The Bail Project for releasing her son’s ‘killer’ Travis Lang, 23, who shot and killed her son Dylan McGinnis, 24 (left)
Travis Lang (left) has been charged with murder for the death of McGinnis (right), who died on October 1 around 11.30pm. McGinnis allegedly went with a female friend, who was dealing with substance abuse, to make a drug deal with Lang. Law enforcement has confirmed that McGinnis was not involved in the deal
The former inmate is now facing murder charges for the death of McGinnis.
Lang would end up ‘killing’ McGinnis after the 24-year-old tagged along with a friend who was dealing with substance abuse, who was doing drug deal with Lang to get Xanax and heroin, according to the Indianapolis Star.
The pair allegedly got in a dispute over money and Lang exited his vehicle and fired several rounds into the pair’s car while demanding the money.
He reported said: ‘Give me my money before I start squeezing in this [expletive],’ the Indianapolis Star reported, before shooting the girl in the leg and McGinnis several times.
Law enforcement reported that McGinnis sat in the car while his friend and Lang made the drug deal. It is unclear when the woman got back into the car before Lang started shooting.
McGinnis’ mother said her son went with his friend because he ‘feared for her’ and that he was ‘always help[ing]’ others.
‘Just knowing Dylan and the kind of person that he was, in my opinion, he most likely just did not want her to go by herself or be alone. He probably feared for her,’ Sterling told Fox News.
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‘His family, his friends, the broken, the outcasts, perfect strangers. He was there to always help them which, you know, unfortunately, got him into the situation that he was in on October 1, being there for a friend,’ she told Fox 59.
McGinnis and the unidentified woman were found by police with gunshot wounds around 11.30pm on October 1. McGinnis was pronounced dead at the scene from multiple gunshot wounds and the woman was transported to a hospital in stable condition.
The Bail Project confirmed to Fox News that it provided funds in addition to Lang’s mother and fiancé, but it ‘denounces all forms of violence.’
McGinnis was shot multiple times and was declared dead at the scene. Lang reportedly got out of his vehicle after the woman and he got into a dispute over money. He then proceeded to shoot bullets into the car McGinnis was in, hitting the woman on the leg and killing McGinnis
Sterling is now calling out The Bail Project for assisting in getting ‘violent offenders’ out of jail. Lang is the second former inmate who was released through a bail relief fund that later received murder charges
‘We denounce violence in all its forms, and it is never our intention to put anyone at harm,” The Bail Project’s Director of Operators David Gaspar told Fox News.
Sterling isn’t the only one criticizing The Bail Project. The Fraternal Order of Police Vice President Joe Gamaldi told Fox News that the organization and others like it are doing more harm than good.
‘They are allowing people to donate and then they’re bonding out violent criminals who are repeat offenders. I mean, this is not the shoplifting a candy bar from Walmart. These are people who are committing murders, aggravated assault,’ Gamaldi told the news organization.
‘You know, I’ll be honest, I don’t think they give a damn about public safety,’ he slammed The Bail Project.
‘They know exactly the people that they are bailing out. They know that these individuals that are out on already multiple felony bonds and they’re helping them get another one. They know that some of these are very violent individuals, and you cannot look at this with a straight face and tell me that you care about the community that you’re operating in.’
McGinnis isn’t the first victim to die after a bail fund organization helped get an inmate out of jail.
In August, George Howard, 48, was charged with two counts of second-degree murder after Minnesota Freedom Fund bailed him out after killing two people on I-94. He was jailed for domestic assault prior to his bail.
The Minnesota Freedom Fund, which is now under new leadership, said they ‘will continue to assess them to ensure that we are being responsive to the safety and needs of our community.’
DailyMail.com has contacted Sterling and The Bail Project for comment.
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