Melissa Ortega.Photo: gofundme
The mother of 8-year-oldMelissa Ortegais speaking out as two people have been charged with the murder of her daughter.
Melissa, a third-grader at Zapata Academy, was shot in the head while walking with her mother in Chicago’s Little Village Saturday afternoon after a gunman opened fire on a suspected gang member, theChicago Sun-Timespreviously reported. She was taken to Stroger Hospital, where she died.
During the conference, Chicago Police Supt. David Brown announced that two people had been arrested and charged for allegedly killing the young girl.
A 16-year-old, who was not identified, is charged with first-degree murder, attempted first-degree murder and two counts of discharging a firearm. The teen is believed to be the shooter, Brown said. Though the teenager has not been identified, authorities said he will be tried as an adult.
Another man, identified as 27-year-old Xavier Guzman, was allegedly driving the vehicle. He has also been charged with first-degree murder and attempted first-degree murder, according to Brown.
According to aGoFundMepage, Melissa and her mother — both from Mexico — arrived in Chicago in August. In Wednesday’s statement, her mother said that the family had been “filled with dreams” about their move to the United States.
“We imagined a better life here. We came in search of the American Dream we so famously hear of but instead I get to live a nightmare for the rest of my life,” she said.
She also asked the community to use Melissa’s death as a catalyst for addressing the city’s gun violence.
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“I ask the community to help me preserve her memory. Don’t let her die in vain,” her mother said. “How is it possible that a little girl dies in broad daylight? How is it possible that we can send men to Mars but we can’t fix the gun violence in our city?”
“Melissa was a precious little girl and it is unacceptable that she is the latest Chicagoan to fall victim to senseless gang violence,” Brown said. “As a city, we mourn her loss because no child should know violence.”
It was not immediately clear if Guzman has engaged legal representation who can speak on his behalf.
source: people.com
