A Baltimore community gathered at Leon Day Park Tuesday night to remember 12-year-old Khloe Ishway, whose life was cut short during a shooting near a youth football event over the weekend.
Family members, friends and local residents returned to the West Baltimore park carrying candles and balloons as they gathered to honor Khloe and stand beside her family during an especially painful week.
The vigil came just hours after Baltimore police announced an arrest in connection with the shooting. Authorities said 23-year-old Tyree Reynolds was taken into custody and is facing charges that include murder, attempted murder, assault and reckless endangerment.
Khloe was one of five people struck by gunfire at the park Saturday evening. Police said the shooting followed an argument between two men over a parking spot. Khloe was caught in the crossfire and was taken to a hospital, where she was pronounced dead.
Her mother, Kristin Reese, said the support from people across Baltimore has meant a great deal to the family.
“I love how everybody is supporting my baby,” Reese said at the vigil. “My baby’s name is going to live on forever.”
A week of grief and remembrance
The candlelight vigil followed a peace walk held Monday, when hundreds of people gathered to remember Khloe and call for an end to violence.
For her family, the gatherings have provided an opportunity to focus on Khloe’s life rather than only the circumstances of her death. Relatives have described her as a loving child who enjoyed music, dancing, swimming and spending time with family.
The youth football community has also been deeply affected. The shooting happened as families and children were gathered for a homecoming event at Leon Day Park, a place organizers described as a safe environment for young people.
Anthony Williams, a founder of the Charm City Buccaneers youth football organization, said the violence was devastating because children and families were gathered there for a community event.
“It was horrific,” Williams said. “This is a safe space. A safe haven for kids.”
Arrest brings another development in the case
The arrest announced Tuesday marked a significant development in the investigation, which had remained without an identified suspect during the first several days after the shooting.
Baltimore Mayor Brandon Scott and Police Commissioner Richard Worley said the arrest was an important step toward accountability for Khloe and her family.
Police have said investigators were working to determine the circumstances surrounding the shooting after the dispute escalated into gunfire. The department’s initial account said officers responded to the area of North Franklintown Road around 6:15 p.m. Saturday after receiving reports of gunfire.
Four other people were injured. Police said the remaining victims were in stable condition.
Khloe’s mother said she believed someone who witnessed what happened would eventually come forward.
“I knew someone was going to come forward,” Reese said. “There was too many people for someone not to see something.”
Remembering Khloe beyond the tragedy
As candles illuminated Leon Day Park, the gathering became more than a response to a violent act. It was a chance for the people who knew Khloe, and those who never had the opportunity to meet her, to stand with her family.
The recent peace walk and candlelight vigil have also highlighted the concerns of residents who want children to be able to attend neighborhood activities without being caught in violence.
For Khloe’s family, however, the message remains personal: her life should be remembered for who she was, not simply for how it ended.
At 12 years old, Khloe’s future was still ahead of her. On Tuesday night, the people gathered at Leon Day Park made clear that they intend to keep her memory alive while the criminal case moves forward.
