Photo: GoFundMe
Chicago police are searching for those responsible for the murder of a 16-year-old girl who was shot in the head while walking home from work.
Angie Monroy had finished her shift at a clothing store and was walking in the Little Village neighborhood of Chicago around 9:45 p.m. Saturday when a “vehicle traveling at a high speed began shooting indiscriminately,” Anthony Guglielmi, chief spokesman for the Chicago Police Department, tells PEOPLE.
“She does take cover behind a parked car,” Guglielmi says. “But one of the bullets penetrated the window of the parked car. It was a terribly lucky, one-in-a-million type of shot.”
Guglielmi says the junior at Benito Juarez Community Academy is the latest innocent victim of escalating gang violence in the neighborhood. Last month, a 32-year-old nurse was fatally shot while carrying laundry, and a seven-year-old girl was shot while she was trick-or-treating on Halloween.
“It certainly has shocked that neighborhood,” he adds. “It is unacceptable to the police department. It is our highest priority.”
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Since the Dec. 15 shooting, investigators have recovered the car, which had been stolen, and are processing it for DNA evidence. Investigators are also combing through more neighborhood surveillance footage for additional clues.
Guglielmi says investigators are also hoping the community steps forward.
“We need as much community information as possible,” he says. “We solved the last two murders in Little Village because of the help of the community. They put their faith over fear and we need that again in this case. We have to get ahead of this gang conflict. This is an all hands-on deck situation.”
Monroy’s sister Joselyn has set up aGofundmepage to help pay for her funeral and memorial. “My little sister had so many goals ahead of her and so many things to look forward too,” she wrote.” She was smart, thoughtful, beautiful, and loving. My family’s pride and joy.”
“Rest well, my beautiful angel. You will forever be in our hearts with that beautiful smile of yours!”
So far, the page has raised more than $16,000.
source: people.com
