Seven-year-old Kennedy Maxie, the girl randomly shot while riding in the back seat of her aunt’s car near Phipps Plaza in Buckhead, has died.
According to a report from WSB, Kennedy died from her injuries on Saturday night, She had been in critical condition at Scottish Rite Children’s Hospital since being struck by the stray bullet on Dec. 23.
A $15,000 reward is being offered for any information related to the case. The public is encouraged to call Crime Stoppers at (404) 577-8477. Callers can remain anonymous.
According to APD, Kennedy was a backseat passenger in a car being driven by her aunt, while her mother was the front seat passenger. The family was driving past Phipps Plaza round 9 p.m. when the aunt heard several gunshots. The aunt continued driving and a short time later saw that her niece was acting strangely and realized the girl had been shot.
Kennedy’s aunt drove her to Scottish Rite Hospital where doctors discovered she had a gunshot wound to the back of the head, according to APD.
At a Dec. 22 press conference, APD commanders said a group of males had a “dispute” in the mall’s parking lot at the time of the shooting. But investigators had not confirmed that the gunfire came from that incident. Investigators said they do not believe the shooter or shooters intended to hit the vehicle or Kennedy, who is from Mableton, or had any connection with the family. However, the investigation was continuing. The bullet that hit the child entered the vehicle from the rear, investigators said.
Gun violence continued to grip the city on Tuesday, Dec. 22, after a man was shot to death during an argument outside the Greyhound station in Downtown. Atlanta Police Department investigators are still searching for the subject who fled the scene.
Within hours, another man was found with multiple gunshot wounds on Newcastle Street on the Westside and yet another man was shot in the shoulder at the North Avenue MARTA station in Midtown. APD continues to investigate both incidents.
In a scathing written statement, Atlanta City Councilman Howard Shook, who represents Buckhead, said, “It will take a lot to turn this around. But here, in descending order, are the three things we need to begin: 1) Leadership; 2) Some leadership; 3) Any leadership.”
“This has to end,” Councilman J.P. Matzigkeit said in a phone interview. “We are at war with crime and we have to start acting like it.”
Both Shook and Matzigkeit helped develop the Buckhead Security Plan, which calls for beefing up tactics and politically challenges Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms to denounce crime.
Phipps Plaza’s neighboring sister mall, Lenox Square, has been the scene of a string of shootings over the past 12 months, recently leading to the deployment of metal detectors and gun-sniffing dogs.
– John Ruch contributed to this report
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