Martrice Grant held up photos of his 1-year-old baby daughter at a Kent Police news conference on Monday and told people to come forward to help solve the murder of Malijah Grant on April 16 in Kent.
“This is what this is about,” Grant said as he displayed photos of his baby daughter in front of television news cameras and newspaper photographers at Kent City Hall. “It’s not about me or her (Lisa Lynch, the baby’s mother who stood next to him), it’s about her. Period. Point blank. The news has taken me to be some hardened gangster. I’m not. What gangster gets respect out of this? My family has been targeted for gang violence that has nothing to do with us.”
Kent Police Chief Ken Thomas told the media the shooting death of Grant is gang related and connected to a series of shootings. Kent Police have determined anywhere from 12 to 15 shootings between mid-March and the shooting of the baby have taken place between rival gangs in Seattle, Tacoma and cities in between.
“We believe that this murder was gang related,” Thomas said. “We believe there are gang members out there that may have information that can help us solve this crime and bring justice. We’re asking those people to step up and do the right thing and come forward so we can solve this crime.”
Thomas said detectives are working with the Seattle Police on the case in connection with a separate, gang-related shooting death of a man in Seattle. Police have yet to release details about the other shootings they believe are connected to the killing of Grant.
“We believe there are people out there that have additional information about this crime,” Thomas said. “We know there were additional witnesses that have not come forward yet. If you happened to be at the scene or to see anything, we’re asking that you come forward and provide a statement to our detectives.”
Grant was shot in the head while riding in her parents car, with her mother driving and her father in the front passenger seat. She died two days later at Harborview Medical Center in Seattle. Grant lived in Kent with her parents.
The baby was in a silver Chevrolet Impala, which was hit at the intersection of Lake Fenwick Road and Reith Road the afternoon of April 16. A black car pulled alongside the silver car near the Lake Fenwick Estates apartments, and the driver and passenger in the black vehicle opened fire before driving off.
Grant denied he has any gang ties. Neither he nor police offered any insight into why gang members shot at the car on that afternoon.
“This is not gang violence on our behalf,” Grant said. “We played no part in that. We’re a loving family. We take care of each other. … We’re one gang, our family.”
Lynch tried to fight back tears as she talked about her daughter.
“A lot of people didn’t know that my daughter was born with a heart disease and she fought to be here,” Lynch said. “And she got taken out for no reason. I can’t believe this. Nobody’s perfect but nobody deserves to lose a baby over gun violence.”
Grant told the shooters to come forward.
“Stop running,” he said. “Turn yourself in, be a man.”
“Or kill yourself,” the baby’s mother said.
Detectives hope the conference and news coverage will lead to people coming forward with details to help solve the shooting.
On Monday (see related story), investigators also released still images of the suspect vehicle that was caught on nearby surveillance, fleeing from the crime scene. The suspect vehicle is believed to be a black, four-door sedan with dark tinted windows. The vehicle has yet to be positively identified by make and model.
Anyone with information that could help in the investigation is asked to call 911, or contact the Kent Police Department tip line at 253-856-5808.
Crime Stoppers of Puget Sound is also offering a cash reward of $1,000 for information leading to the arrest and charges of the suspects involved. Call the hotline anonymously at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477) or submit the information online at crimestoppers.com.
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