Tragedy struck Easter Sunday near Jackie Robinson Park on Chicago’s Far South Side when a teenage girl was shot in the head, prompting outrage from community activists.
“They are just heartless, gutless, I mean how can you, how can you shoot a 15-year-old girl in the head?” asked activist Michael Airhart, who is also the founder of All Kids Matter Foundation.
Chicago police said just before 1 a.m., officers responded to reports of gunshots near 106th and Sangamon in Washington Heights. There, they found Demea Morris, 15, sitting in the backseat of a car, having been shot in the head.
Community activist Andrew Holmes told NBC 5 that he spoke with Demea’s grieving mother.
“The family is all together inside that vehicle just enjoying the night and then an individual discharged that weapon,” said Holmes.
After being shot, Morris was taken to the University of Chicago where she later died.
“They didn’t even get to the prom yet, they didn’t get to hang with their friends and figure out what college I want to go to,” Airhart said.
No one was in custody as of late Sunday. Holmes is offering a $1,000 for any information that may lead to the shooter’s arrest.
“For a grieving mother to carry this child nine months, and then all of a sudden, at the hands of another, take her child within a second,” said Holmes. “No mother should have to open and close a door and open and close a casket. That’s wrong.”