Only one of the two officers fired his gun, said the Grant family attorney.
FRANKLIN -- Pauline Grant had a pain in her stomach and a hole in her heart on Mother's Day. Her oldest son, Diahlo Grant, who was trying to get his life back on track, was dead and a month later there remained more questions than answers.
Diahlo Grant, 27, a father of six with another on the way, was shot and killed by two uniformed Franklin Township police officers on April 9 at approximately 1:30 a.m. after a foot chase from the township into New Brunswick that early Saturday morning. Police say the officers exchanged gunfire with Grant.
Diahlo Grant and one of his five daughters. (Courtesy of the Grant family)"That day was really odd," said Pauline Grant, shaking her head and fighting back tears as she spoke in her attorney's Princeton office this week. "I felt this pain in my stomach all day. All I could say is 'My God. My God.'
"The week Diahlo died was the week of my birthday. And Mother's Day came right after that. It was like double jeopardy. I'm always thinking he's not really dead. That one day he's going to ring the doorbell. This is heartbreaking for me."
Police haven't said who fired first, how many shots were fired, who the officers involved were or why they were chasing Grant.
"I just want people to know that my son was a good person with a big heart," said Pauline Grant. "As much as he made some mistakes in his life, he was trying. What they are saying about him isn't what it is."
UNANSWERED QUESTIONS
Diahlo Grant's younger brother, Dashawn Grant, 13, was distraught at the funeral on April 25, which was attended by nearly 300 people. As they mourned, they asked for answers as to why they were saying goodbye to a loved one who died way too young.
Grant's close friend, Cameron Willis, and his cousin, Brian Robinson, each remembered Grant with stories that made his family and friends laugh and cry. The Rev. DeForest "Buster" Soaries gave a moving eulogy. It was an emotional farewell.
Cedric Ashley of the Princeton-based Ashley Law Firm, who is representing the family, said he understands that investigations into shootings where police are involved can take time.
"I don't have a timetable," said Ashley. "My timetable is what will permit a fair and impartial investigation of how a non-violent father of six or seven children could wind up dead after a police encounter in which the basis of it isn't clear."
Ashley is a former Manhattan assistant prosecutor and close confidant of Soaries. The reverend has befriended the family since the shooting, even holding Grant's funeral at First Baptist Church of Lincoln Gardens in Somerset, where he serves as senior pastor.
On the day of the shooting, Grant was with a friend earlier that evening, said Ashley. He was walking home after stopping for pizza when the shooting occurred. He was living on Ball Street, just off Somerset Street, with his pregnant girlfriend and the two children they had together.
Hours after the shooting, the Middlesex County Prosecutor's Office issued a news release stating that Grant had warrants out on him for non-payment of child support in Middlesex County and for violation of probation on a drug charge in Somerset County.
Ashley said there is no official statement as to why police would have stopped him. He said if uniformed patrol officers were on the look out for Grant that night for his active warrants there should be information supporting that they seeking to pick him up.
Two unnamed relatives of Grant initially told NJ Advance Media the day after the shooting that he was shot six times, three times in the head and three times in the chest. But his sister, Camille O'Sullivan, 25, said the family isn't sure how many times he was shot.
Those same relatives said they didn't believe Grant had a gun; O'Sullivan said she didn't know if he had a gun.
Middlesex County Prosecutor Andrew Carey has said that police recovered Grant's gun. The two officers involved were immediately placed on leave following the shooting. They have since returned to duty, Franklin Township Police spokesman Sgt. Phil Rizzo confirmed Thursday.
Nine days after the shooting, the family had a lengthy meeting with the senior investigative staff of the prosecutor's office. On May 3, O'Sullivan said she spoke with Detective Lt. Paul Miller. She said Miller told her it could be a while before any information is released.
James O'Neill, a spokesman for the Middlesex County Prosecutor's Office, said his office will not comment on the status of the investigation.
"We're grateful that the prosecutor's office was willing to meet with us," said O'Sullivan. "The frustrating thing is they're not willing to release any information regarding the investigation. Information like why they pursued Diahlo and who pursued him.
"My mom had to bury her son not knowing who killed him and why. All we want to know is what happened. It's been so frustrating. It's been over a month and we don't know what happened. We can't even grieve properly. There are all these unanswered questions."
O'Sullivan, who described her older brother as a "peacemaker" and "not aggressive," said the family would at least like to know why Grant was stopped.
"I don't know why that's so hidden," said O'Sullivan. "You can't even tell us that? I understand things could've gotten heated but at least tell us why he was stopped."
'SO MUCH POTENTIAL'
"(The) Rev. DeForrest Soaries literally brought tears to my eyes during his eulogy," said O'Sullivan. "He talked about potential and what Diahlo could've been. He had so much potential. He was just dealing with issues from his youth that we all have.
"I just think about what Diahlo could've been if he had had the opportunity. He could speak well. He was intelligent. He could work with his hands. He was trying to go somewhere in life, but it was difficult for him to get a good job because of his past. My husband was even trying to help him find a good job."
Grant was a doting father trying to better himself, his sister said. He was working as a presser at Executive Shirt Laundry in New Brunswick while searching for a better paying job, she said.
Nearly every weekend, Grant and his children would gather at his mother's Franklin Township home to spend time together. The failed relationships with the children's mothers, who would each drop their kids off, didn't interfere with his devotion to his children, his mother said. And the children adored him in return.
"It was all about his kids," said Pauline Grant. "He was a good father."
Born in Jamaica, Grant, the second-oldest of four children, including two sisters and a brother, moved with his family to the United States when he was 2. His father, Ian Grant, came to the United States briefly, but returned to Jamaica in 2003 and has not been in his son's life then, said Grant's mother.
WAITING FOR ANSWERS
Ashley said he feels encouraged that the Middlesex County Prosecutor's Office is investigating the case because he believes it removes the potential for a bias. The shooting was by an officer from Franklin Township, which is located in Somerset County.
"Giving them the benefit of the doubt, I'm comfortable that the case is getting a fair and unbiased review," said Ashley. "If there was an answer before eight weeks I would be more concerned of it being rushed. There's nothing right now that bothers me with the way things are going. I'm satisfied with the transparency."
The Grant family has shown restraint and patience. Shortly after the shooting, they were contacted by "Black Lives Matter," a national activist movement that campaigns against violence towards black people. The family declined the organization's offer to stage a protest march.
"We never had an issue with Black Lives Matter," said O'Sullivan. "We appreciated the support. We were just trying to process what was going on, just trying to deal with things from an emotional aspect. Black Lives Matter was like, 'Let's march. Let's march.' At the time, we weren't ready. We still welcome their support."
Dave Hutchinson may be reached at dhutchinson@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @DHutch_SL. Find NJ.com on Facebook.