ST. LOUIS — The teenage girl who was fatally shot over the weekend in south St. Louis has been identified as a high school student in Eureka.
The Rockwood School District shared a message with the school saying they are "shocked and saddened" to learn about the death of Eureka High School sophomore Kyierah Jeffries.
"Our sincere thoughts and sympathies are with Kyierah’s family, as well as the educators and friends who knew and loved her," the school said in the email to families.
St. Louis police responded to Minnesota Avenue near Bellerive Boulevard just before 4 p.m. Saturday afternoon for a report of a shooting victim.
When emergency crews first arrived, the 16-year-old girl was in and out of consciousness with a gunshot wound to the stomach. When Kyierah arrived at the hospital, she was no longer conscious or breathing. She died from her injuries a short time later, police said.
The Rockwood School District has made a crisis team available at the high school. Counselors, social workers and social-emotional behavior specialists will be on hand this week for anyone who needs assistance.
"Please keep the Eureka community and our Rockwood family in your thoughts and prayers. Let’s do all we can to find a way to heal after this tragedy," the school district said in its email.
The family launched a GoFundMe page to help with funeral expenses.
Saturday's shooting marks the sixth homicide of a juvenile under the age of 18 in St. Louis and the 53rd injured in shootings so far this year.
St. Louis police officers will be moving to mandatory 12-hour shifts starting in June to deal with increasing violence as warmer temperatures approach.
Starting June 10 through the end of September, all officers and sergeants assigned to either evening or night watch shifts in the Bureau of Community Policing/Specialized Enforcement will work mandatory 12-hour shifts on Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays.
Resources for crime victims:
If you have been a victim of a crime or know someone who has been, 5 On Your Side has compiled a list of resources.
Better Family Life is a nonprofit community development organization working to “stabilize inner-city neighborhoods.” One aspect of its mission is a gun violence de-escalation program.
To learn more, call 314-381-8200 or visit https://www.betterfamilylife.org/
Life Outside of Violence “helps those harmed by stabbing, gunshot or assault receive the treatment, support and resources they need to find alternatives to end the cycle of violence.”
To learn more, call 314-327-6697 or email: ProjectLOV@WUSTL.edu
The Urban League of Metropolitan St. Louis has an anti-crime program called “Safety Net for Youth Initiative,” which is a joint partnership with Saint Louis Public Schools to provide services to at-risk youth.
To learn more, visit https://www.ulstl.com/anti-crime-initiative.html
Cure Violence is an international organization that has recently launched in a handful of St. Louis neighborhoods. Violence interrupters are trained to deescalate violent situations within their own communities. To learn more, visit https://cvg.org/