A young girl has tragically passed away after being shot in the head while shopping for Christmas together with her family.
The incident took place in Buckhead, Atlanta, where Kennedy Maxie, 7, was struck by a stray bullet while doing Christmas shopping together with her mother and aunt.
As the family was driving on Peachtree Road in their Lexus, Kennedy’s aunt heard shots fired nearby.
After realizing that the 7-year-old was shot in the back of the head, the family rushed the little girl to a nearby hospital where she remained in critical condition for several days.
On Saturday, sadly, Kennedy succumbed to her gunshot wound and passed away.
Speaking of the tragic incident, Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms pleaded with the public “to provide information that will lead to the arrests of the careless and heartless people responsible for Kennedy’s death.”
“Our hearts are broken by the senseless murder of Kennedy. While the Atlanta Police Department has significant leads in the apprehension of those responsible, it does not erase the pain felt when a beautiful, vibrant, and loving child is tragically taken from her family,” Bottoms told The Atlanta Journal-Constitution.
According to the reports, the girl is not believed to be the shooters’ intended target, whereas the shooting reportedly started after several men got involved in an argument at a Saks Fifth Avenue parking lot as the family drove by.
“I thought it was unbelievable to think a 7-year-old child would be riding with a parent on Peachtree and randomly get shot,” Attorney Jackie Patterson previously said in an interview with Fox 5 Atlanta.
“It’s a parent’s worse nightmare to think their child is in the hospital during the Christmas season.”
Following the shooting, a $15,000 reward has been promised for information leading to the suspect’s arrest.
Our thoughts are with Kennedy’s family during these tough times.
Replaced!