[Congressional Record Volume 148, Number 64 (Friday, May 17, 2002)]
[Senate]
[Pages S4532-S4533]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                              TRAGIC TOLL

  Mr. LEVIN. Mr. President, in just the last 16 weeks, tragically ten 
children have been murdered in metro Detroit. Eight of these kids have 
died after being shot. The oldest was 16 years old and the youngest was 
a mere 3 years old. Three years old, Mr. President. According to the 
Detroit Free Press, in the last four months in metro Detroit nearly as 
many children have been murdered by guns as in all of last year. These 
are truly horrific events made even more so by their randomness. Many 
of these kids were simply in the wrong place at the wrong time.
  Destinee Thomas, one of the youngest victims, only 3 years old, was 
killed while watching television in her own bedroom when someone fired 
an AK47 into her home. The Detroit Police Department and the people of 
Detroit were so outraged by her death that the police department 
launched Project Destinee, a special effort by law enforcement to 
aggressively investigate and pursue gang members involved in the 
shooting.
  Eight year old Brianna Caddell was also killed by an AK-47 when an 
unknown gunman opened fire on her house. This little girl was in bed 
sleeping.
  Another victim, 16 year old Alesia Robinson, was killed by a single 
gunshot to the face. According to police, her 19 year old boyfriend was 
playing with a gun on the front porch, firing it into the air. When 
Alesia asked him to stop, police said, he pointed the gun at her and 
fired. The 19 year old has been charged with first-degree murder.
  These horrific events underline the need for the vigorous enforcement 
of our gun laws and the overwhelming need for common sense gun safety 
legislation. In light of these tragic events, I once again urge my 
colleagues to support gun safety legislation.
  I know my colleagues join me in extending our thoughts and prayers to 
all of those who have lost their friends and family members to gun 
violence.
  I ask unanimous consent that the article from the Detroit Free Press 
be entered into the Record.
  There being no objection, the article was ordered to be printed in 
the Record, as follows:

              [From the Detroit Free Press, May 14, 2002]

                           10 Lives Cut Short

       This year, 10 children ages 16 and younger have died as a 
     result of homicides in the metro area--all of them in 
     Detroit.


                 January 13--Jameise Scaife, 3 days old

       Doctors performed an emergency cesarean section to deliver 
     Jameise after his pregnant mother jumped from a burning 
     apartment building set ablaze by an arsonist. Jameise died 
     three days later from bleeding in the brain.


                     February 11--Joseph Walker, 16

       Died of multiple gunshot wounds in the parking lot of the 
     Budget Inn on Plymouth Road. Police say Walker and a 19-year-
     old friend allegedly planned to rob two men as they left the 
     motel. But when they announced the holdup, one of the men 
     pulled out a gun and shot Walker, police said.


                   February 21--Brennon Cunningham, 3

       Died of strangulation. Brennon was found dead in a bedroom, 
     wet from a bath. Police allege that his mother, Aimee 
     Cunningham, 34, tried to make authorities believe Brennon 
     drowned. She is charged with first-degree murder.


                     February 25--Ajanee Pollard, 7

       Fatally shot in the head when a gunman opened fire on her 
     family's car as they were about to go shopping. Her brother, 
     Jason Pollard Jr., 6, lost his pancreas and suffered other 
     internal organ damage from gunshots. Her two sisters, Aerica, 
     6, and Alyah, 4, also were wounded, as was their mother, 
     Aelizabeth Niebrzydowski. Two men, Joel

[[Page S4533]]

     Allen, 24, and Willie Robinson, 25, are charged with Ajanee's 
     killing and with assault with intent to commit murder. Police 
     say the shooting was prompted by a dispute over a $40 radio.


                      March 23--Destinee Thomas, 3

       Shot and killed while watching television in her bedroom 
     when someone opened fire on her home with an AK47. Two men, 
     Julian Key, 19, and Cedric Pipes, 21, are charged with first-
     degree murder. Outraged by her death, police and prosecutors 
     launched Project Destinee, an effort to round up all members 
     of the rival gangs they allege were involved in the dispute 
     that led to the shooting.


                     March 28--Alesia Robinson, 16

       Killed by a single gunshot wound to the face. Alesia's 
     boyfriend, Darron Kilgore, 19, is charged with first-degree 
     murder. According to police, Kilgore was playing with a gun 
     on the front porch, firing it into the air. When Alesia asked 
     him to stop, police said, Kilgore pointed the gun at her and 
     fired.


                     April 3--Christopher James, 11

       Killed by a single gunshot wound to the head. Christopher's 
     12-year-old half-brother was charged in juvenile court with 
     manslaughter and possession of a firearm. The suspect's 
     family said the pair were playing with a gun they found in a 
     playground and that the shooting was an accident.


                      April 10--Brianna Caddell, 8

       Shot and killed while sleeping in her bed. A man on foot 
     opened fire on her home with an AK47. No one is in custody.


                       April 18--Irisha Keener, 3

       Killed by a gunshot wound to the head in a murder-suicide. 
     Police say Irisha's mother, Ira Keener, 39, shot the little 
     girl as they lay in bed at their home. Ira Keener then turned 
     the gun on herself. Police said Ira Keener, who suffered from 
     severe asthma, had experienced delusions and had a mental 
     breakdown about a month before the shooting. She left a note 
     saying that she had to die, but did not want to leave Irisha 
     behind.


                      April 30--Cherrel Thomas, 15

       Shot and killed in the backseat of a car, possibly in a 
     dispute over clothing. A 17-year-old suspect, Terrill 
     Johnson, has been charged with first-degree murder and a 21-
     year-old suspect, Jesse Freeman, has been charged with 
     second-degree murder.

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