‘Y’all left my baby for dead’: 11-year-old shot, killed near playground on New Year’s Day
CINCINNATI (WXIX/Gray News) - A family is mourning the loss of an 11-year-old girl after a shooting happened near a playground on New Year’s Day.
According to Cincinnati police, the shooting happened near Laurel Playground at around 6:45 p.m. in the West End.
District 1 officers said they were flagged down about someone being shot that night.
When police arrived, they found a little girl, later identified as QueenEr’Re Reed, suffering from a gunshot wound. She was taken to the Cincinnati Children’s Hospital, where she died from her injuries.
Cincinnati officials are calling it a senseless act of violence.
Former Cincinnati mayoral candidate Cory Bowman, who is the pastor at the Reed family church, said QueenEr’Re was playing with her cousins when the gunshots were fired.
Cincinnati Police Lt. Jerome Herring said it wasn’t immediately known what led to the shooting, with homicide detectives investigating.
Visibly heartbroken, the girl’s mother, Chere Williams, spoke to reporters on Friday.
“We don’t even live here,” she said. “[I] hate this city. Nothing but cruel people here. Y’all left my baby for dead.”
Williams said she is a mother of four, but QueenEr’Re was her only daughter.
Cincinnati Mayor Aftab Pureval offered condolences to the Reed family and full support for the police investigation.
“My family and our entire city are grieving for the family, the community, and everyone impacted by this senseless, heartless gun violence,” Pureval shared in a statement. “Our prayers are with you. But that isn’t enough. We can’t let this happen.”
Interim Cincinnati Police Chief Adam Hennie said detectives are “working tirelessly” to find the person(s) responsible.
“On behalf of the Cincinnati Police Department, I want to express our deepest condolences to the family, friends and loved ones of Ms. QueenEr’Re Reed,” Hennie said in a statement. “No child should ever lose their life to gun violence.”
Anyone with further information on the shooting has been urged to contact the Cincinnati Police Department at 513-352-3040.
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