Jaslyn Adams, say her name.
Even as Black people basked in a moment of relief and hope after Derek Chauvin was convicted on all charges in the murder of George Floyd, hearts were still heavy this week with the news of a Chicago shooting.
Jaslyn Adams was in a car with her father Jontae Adams at a McDonald’s drive-thru Sunday at approximately 4:20 p.m. when their car was riddled with bullets, with an estimated 50 gunshots fired. Jaslyn, 7, was hit six times. Her father was also shot.
The Chicago Sun-Times reports that authorities believe the shooting was gang-related and less than three hours later, two people were shot in their car at a Popeyes in Humboldt Park, reportedly in a connected instance of violence.
An admittedly “heartbroken” and “incredibly frustrated” Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot is now calling for federal gun control legislation.
“Folks, we are living in madness if we don’t step up and deal with this problem. So yes, I’m very satisfied with what our police superintendent and the police department are doing in an impossible environment where we got to have help,” Lightfoot said. “We’ve got to actually hold people accountable who are wreaking havoc in our streets, the fact that we have gone now 13 months and we don’t have criminal trials in Cook County,” Lightfoot said.
Jaslyn’s father has since been released from the hospital after being shot once in the back and he’s adamant that he wants to see his daughter’s killers behind bars.
“That’s my baby I just lost,” Jontae Adams said according to The Chicago Sun-Times. “I got shot once, my baby got shot six times. Six times. My baby got shot six times and they still don’t tell me why she got shot at.”
The last thing she said was “Daddy!” in a panicked voice, Adams recalled. “I see my daughter face down in my car. Oh, I will never forget … I want my daughter’s killers locked up.”
Adams is urging authorities to use surveillance footage to find the people who took his child.
A vigil was held at the McDonald’s where Jaslyn who was nicknamed “Pinky” died.
Around 100 people released pink balloons in honor of the late first-grader (let that sink in, a FIRST GRADER) and free Happy Meals were passed out to honor the child’s affinity for McDonald’s.
While attendees held “Don’t Shoot” and “Please Stop The Violence” signs, community leaders urged those involved to come forward.
“Perhaps they did not intend to kill a child, but they did,” Rev. Marshall Hatch said. “So that person needs to be brought in by anyone who knows him.”
“You pumped six and a half bullets in that baby. That don’t make you a man. That don’t make you a gangster! Something wrong with you,” said community activist Andrew Holmes.
This whole case is so sickeningly sad. R.I.P. Jaslyn and condolences to her family.
Police are searching for leads. Anyone with information is told to contact 1-800-U-TELL-US or by messaging CPD’s text line at 274637.
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