Police Put Out Alert After Student Is Shot Dead at Bus Stop
A 16-year-old died and two other teenagers were wounded after a drive-by shooting Wednesday at a school bus stop in Louisville, Kentucky.
Police have issued an alert for a gray Jeep with Illinois license plates captured on a surveillance camera.
The dead teen was identified as Tyree Smith, according to WAVE-TV.
“A teen who should be in school today will not be there, and will never be there again,” Louisville Mayor Greg Fischer said, noting that Smith is the city’s 145th homicide victim so far this year.
Louisville Police Maj. Shannon Lauder said that at about 6:20 a.m. a vehicle drove past the spot where students were waiting for the bus, let loose with multiple shots and then drove off. One teen was wounded by a bullet and another was injured in an undisclosed fashion in the incident, police said.
Tyree Smith, a 16-year-old junior from Eastern High School never made it to class today, after he was killed in a drive-by shooting at his bus stop at Chestnut and Dr. WJ Hodge. Two other kids were also shot, but survived. @WHAS11 pic.twitter.com/peyHQk5Ol9
— Brooke Hasch (@WHAS11Hasch) September 22, 2021
Sharonda Smith, the victim’s aunt, told WAVE her nephew was not targeted.
Charletta Anderson, the boy’s great-aunt, said Wednesday’s shooting was not the first at the bus stop.
“It’s just that bus stop been getting shot up, like I just told you, since school started,” she said. “He was caught in the crossfire for whatever reason somebody else might’ve did. He was going to school.”
“This about the fourth time they f***ing shot up the bus stop, excuse my French,” Anderson added.
“We’re very involved in his life and his dealings. Two weeks from school started they shot it up. They told the school; they didn’t do nothing. They did it again a week or two later, and then they just did again this morning. That’s unacceptable. Unacceptable.”
Louisville Police Chief Erika Shields said Eastern High School, which Smith attended, has a gang problem.
Alert: We’re looking for this vehicle in the area of this morning’s homicide. We need to talk to any occupants who may have information on this.
Grey Jeep license plate with Illinois plate BD91644. Call 574-LMPD. You can remain anonymous. We need your help #LMPD #Louisville pic.twitter.com/j690CrF2CF— LMPD (@LMPD) September 22, 2021
Although police are hunting for the vehicle, Anderson said she is not expecting much in the way of results.
“So I bet that nobody seen nothing then,” she said. “Nobody never sees nothing … never.”
Tay Lawson of Crosby Middle School, who was waiting at a nearby bus stop, said his mother tried to help Smith.
“He took his hand off and [blood] started coming through his chest again,” Lawson said, “so Mom told him to put this towel on him until the paramedic comes.”
Lawson said he will do the only thing he can for the suffering families.
“I feel for you and I pray for you,” he said. “I will pray for you and continue to pray for you.”
Councilman Anthony Piagentini, who represents the area where Smith’s school is located, said the shooting was “about as bad as it gets for it to be children. Waiting at a bus stop, heading to school is about the lowest that this city can get.”
“I’ve already called on the mayor, and I’m calling on him now,” he said. “We need to call in any resources we can — FBI, federal agents, state police, National Guard.”
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