Atlanta police name suspect in fatal shooting of 7-year-old Kennedy Maxie
'We have identified him, and we will continue to work diligently to bring him back into the city.'
A Virginia man has been identified as the suspect responsible for the death of 7-year-old Kennedy Maxie, who was fatally shot while Christmas shopping with her family on Dec. 21 in Atlanta.
Investigators have secured a warrant for the arrest of Daquan Reed, 24, and are still searching for him to take him into custody, interim Police Chief Rodney Bryant said during a news conference, ajc.com reports. The Atlanta Police Department is offering a $15,000 reward leading to Reed’s arrest.
Read More: Councilman Shook criticizes Mayor Bottoms after 7-year-old shot in Atlanta
The shooting occurred after Reed got into an argument with a group of men in the parking lot of Saks Fifth Avenue at Phipps Plaza in the Buckhead area. According to police, when Reed left the scene in a car, he allegedly fired shots out the window in a “senseless act of rage,” lead investigator Lt. Pete Malecki said.
Maxie and her aunt were in a car driving past the mall at the time and the child was struck in the back of her head by a stray bullet. She died five days later from her injuries.
“Our hearts are broken by the senseless murder of Kennedy,” Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms said after the shooting, per The Associated Press.
“While the Atlanta Police Department has significant leads in the apprehension of those responsible, it does not erase the pain felt when a beautiful, vibrant, and loving child is tragically taken from her family,” the mayor added.
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Reed, who police believe resides out of state, is now facing charges of felony murder, possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, possession of a firearm during the commission of a crime, and reckless conduct, according to The AP. He was previously convicted on a forgery charge, the report states.
“The men and women of the Atlanta Police Department will not rest until we’ve brought this individual to justice,” interim police chief Rodney Bryant said. “We have identified him, and we will continue to work diligently to bring him back into the city of Atlanta to serve out his justice.”
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