LaPorsha Washington, the mother of seven-year-old Jazmine Barnes who was fatally shot in a drive-by shooting in Texas on Sunday (Dec. 30, 2018), is speaking up in the wake of her family’s recent tragedy. Washington believes the shooter deliberately killed her daughter while they were passing a Walmart.
Washington, Barnes, and her three other daughters were reportedly involved in a drive-by shooting while they were on their way to get coffee, ABC 13 reports. They had just passed Walmart in northeast Harris County when a red pick-up truck allegedly pulled up beside them and began firing shots into the vehicle.
“As I turned around and looked back at the street, I heard shots start firing and they came through my window, broke my glass, and hit me in my arm,” Washington recalled of the incident. “They sped off in front of us and the truck slowed down and continued to fire as he was in front of us. It was not fair. It was not fair. He intentionally killed my child for no reason. He didn’t even know her, he didn’t know who she was.”
The mother of #JazmineBarnes on the fatal shooting of her 7-year old daughter. Killer pulled up to the family in his red truck and fired shots directly into their car. Jazmine died at the scene. Dec 30. Houston. Murderer is a white male, 40s and is still at large. #SayHerName pic.twitter.com/OlDWJ0DPOO
— Ava DuVernay (@ava) January 2, 2019
After the gunfire ceased, one of Washington’s daughters discovered that Jazmine was not moving. “She said, ‘Momma, Jazmine’s not moving. She’s not talking.’ I turned around and my 7-year-old was shot in the head,” Washington continued.
“My baby comes and asks me, ‘Where’s my sister? Is she coming back?’ She’s only six years old.”
The Harris County Sheriff’s Office is seeking help in finding the shooter. They are asking for residents to review their surveillance videos for any clues that would lead to an arrest.
The motive of the attack is unknown at this time. Detectives are reportedly trying to determine if it was a random attack or premeditated.
The drive-by has since garnered a massive response from the public. Public figures such a director Ava DuVernay have shared Barnes’ story on Twitter. Journalist Shaun King and civil rights attorney Lee Merritt have also come together to offer a $35,000 reward to find the person who killed Jazmine. A GoFundMe page has been set up to help the family with any existing expenses.