Chicago gun violence: Hadiya Pendleton, student who performed at Obama inauguration, killed
A Smith & Wesson .357 magnum revolver is displayed for customers to rent at the Los Angeles Gun Club on December 7, 2012 in Los Angeles, California. Gun enthusiasts rent the the weapon to try out before making a purchase at a gun store . Leading firearms maker Smith & Wesson reports almost 50 percent increase in sales revenue.
Hadiya Pendleton, a 15-year-old student who, just one and a half weeks ago, performed with her school’s marching band at several inauguration events in Washington, DC, was shot dead in Chicago yesterday, the Chicago Tribune reported.
Hadiya, who attended King College Prep High School, was hanging out with members of her volleyball team at Harsh Park on the south side of Chicago on Tuesday afternoon when a male jumped a fence in the park, ran towards them and started shooting, according to CBS News. Hadiya was shot in the back, dying in the hospital less than an hour later, and a boy was shot in the leg.
The shooter jumped into a car and fled the scene.
Hadiya's father, Nathaniel Pendleton, announced that an $11,000 reward would be given for information leading to arrest of the shooter, the Chicago Tribune reported.
"This kid didn't like violence at all, didn't even like to fight, avoided a fight, moved away from anything that was not positive,” Pendleton said at an emotional press conference today, the Chicago Tribune reported. “She was a majorette, just came back from the inauguration. She was destined for great things, and you stripped that from her."
Police said Hadiya was not a gang member but some of the other teenagers hanging out at the park with her were gang members, CBS News reported.
“The president and first lady's thoughts and prayers are with the family of Hadiya Pendleton,” presidential spokeman Jay Carney said today, the Chicago Tribune reported. “All of our thoughts and prayers are with her family.”
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