The mother of a 16-year-old girl who was shot dead inside a hotel room in Atlanta, Georgia, has demanded justice. Chillingly, the last moments of Kalecia Williams' life were caught on a video that was then posted to social-media platform TikTok. The video was shot and posted just minutes before the tragedy occurred. In the video, Williams can be seen dancing and then turning around, apparently startled by the sound of someone entering her room.
William's mother, April Smith, said:
"What happened after she made that last Tik Tok video at 12.02am and she was dead at 12.23am? I need answers."
A 16-year-old boy has already been arrested in connection with the crime and charged with felony murder, aggravated assault, reckless conduct and possession of a pistol. Smith however believes others were involved, or at very least are also partially culpable for the murder of her daughter.
Smith states that her daughter was meant to go to an Airbnb that had been organised by another parent, and that the party was going to be supervised. However, it later transpired that another parent had, in fact, rented out a hotel suite for the minors whose activity was not being watched. It is also unclear as to why they were in the hotel in the first place.
Smith added that she felt the parent that rented the hotel suite should also be charged:
"She was responsible for getting the hotel room for these minors. Her name was on the hotel room for these minors, so I feel like she should be held accountable for my daughter's death as well."
Witness, Kanautica Starkie, who was staying at the hotel at the time of the incident said:
"They were shouting what hotel we at what hotel, she was panicking. I seen two guys coming out the elevator with a little girl holding her. One had one leg, one had the other and they were saying she had been shot."
The police investigating the crime stated:
"Preliminary investigation suggests that the victim was inside of a room at the Hyatt Regency with a juvenile male companion. A verbal dispute occurred between both parties which resulted in the juvenile male fatally shooting the victim. The hotel is fully cooperating with local authorities with their investigation, and further questions may be directed to the Atlanta Police Department."
When the police arrived at the scene, Williams was unresponsive and not breathing. It is believed she was shot in the groin area.
[h/t: Daily Mail]
COMMENTS