After the tragic fatal shooting of 3-year-old Ty’ah Settles on Friday, May 3, politicians, local leaders, and dozens of pastors came together at the Metropolitan Police Department’s (MPD) Seventh District to offer powerful prayers and community comfort on Tuesday, May 7.
“We shouldn’t be standing here today,” said MPD Chief Pamela Smith, whose voice broke with emotions. “It was troubling for me all weekend. This is why we have the faith advisory council: to evoke our presence in this space… We want the family to know how much we love them and how much we are going to support them.”
In a press release on Monday, D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser said the District must work together to ensure young people are safe.
“Let me say how tragic an incident like this is, and I feel like a broken record when I say that because, unfortunately, I’ve had to talk to you about children who should be with us,” said Bowser. “Parents, community, police – we are all hyper-focused on making sure kids are where they’re supposed to be, and kids who have guns are in the place that they’re supposed to be.”
In what became a rally, march and vigil Tuesday evening, D.C. Councilmember Trayon White spoke to the community about the District’s challenges with continued violence, particularly affecting youth.
“Friday was a hard day in the District. D.C. police say that Friday morning, a 17-year-old was shot as she sat in a classroom at Dunbar High School by some shooting in the streets,” White said, before noting that evening young Ty’ah was fatally shot in Garfield Heights as she sat in an SUV on Harford Street SE.”
On Friday morning, gunfire erupted outside of Dunbar in Northwest, shattering windows and striking a young lady in the head, according to police records. D.C. Police announced that Saki Frost, 17, and Azhari Graves, 18, were both arrested and charged as adults for the Dunbar shooting. They were held without bond.
The search for toddler Ty’ah’s killer is ongoing.
Ward 8 Activist Phil Pannell said despite candlelight vigils, teddy bear memorials, and decades of community meetings, nothing is changing.
”There is a no snitching code in our community, and it is killing people,” Pannell said.
White emphasized there’s no space for a snitching code when it comes to the death of a toddler.
“The chief said something about snitching, but there is no policy in the community regarding a 3-year-old girl,” White said.
The ministers walked two blocks from the Seventh District to a light post adorned with red heart balloons and flowers as several pastors prayed while many hugged the toddler’s parents.
“Proverbs 3:5 tells us to trust in the Lord with all thine heart,” prayed the Rev. Wanda Thompson. “Even when you don’t understand, just hold on. Let us get fired up and say what can I do? Because we know that everybody can do something.”
Councilmember White said the violence has to stop.
“Enough is enough,” he said. “My spirit has been grieving ever since Friday night.”