Justice for Jazmine
Hundreds join in call for justice in slaying of 7-year-old girl
Hundreds rally at a Walmart near where Jazmine Barnes was killed last Sunday; later, detectives interview persons of interest.
At least one person was being questioned late Saturday in connection with the death of Jazmine Barnes, the 7-year-old killed in the backseat of her family’s car a week ago in an earlymorning, drive-by shooting near a northeast Houston Walmart, an incident that stunned the nation and led to an outpouring of support.
The Harris County Sheriff's Office announced Saturday night that its investigation “has taken a new direction. Detectives are in the process of interviewing persons of interest.” No other details or information on the identities of those in custody was available.
Lee Merritt, the attorney representing Jazmine's family, said authorities had not yet contacted him or the family with news that anyone was in custody.
The almost weeklong manhunt had focused on a suspect described by the family as a white man with blue eyes driv-
ing a red four-door pickup. Some initially feared the incident was a hate crime. Athletes and celebrities pledged donations to help the family, and a reward topping $100,000 was offered for information leading to an arrest.
The news of the development in the case came hours after several hundred people turned out at a rally where activists called for “Justice for Jazmine” and activist Deric Muhammad dubbed the crowd “Jazmine’s Army.”
“This is a beautiful response to a horrific tragedy,” Muhammad said, as some onlookers stood on top of their cars to participate in the rally in the Walmart parking lot. “We have to find out who killed this baby. We have to find out for all the little other Jazmines who are out there that could be in danger as well.”
He warned those in attendance to be careful about using the composite sketch of the alleged killer released Thursday to rush an apprehension of the wrong person.
Jazmine’s mother, who was injured in the shooting, said at the rally that she was confident her daughter’s killer would be caught.
“It is going to be ‘Justice for Jazmine.’ I feel it in my heart, because there are too many people out here looking for this man,” LaPorsha Washington said at the rally. “We’re going to find him, no matter where we got to turn and no matter what rock we got to go under. We’re going to find you.”
Sheriff Ed Gonzalez said investigators had been working the case “every single day,” scouring over tips sent in by the public.
“I made a commitment on behalf of the sheriff ’s office and myself that we would not rest until we brought the killer to justice,” Gonzalez said. “We must stop this violence against anyone. Against anyone. We will not stop until we get justice for Jazmine.”
He was not available late Saturday to comment on the development in the case.
Harris County Commissioner Adrian Garcia relayed a message to the killer at the rally. “Don’t live in a life of hell. Turn yourself in,” he said. “Be a man at least. You cannot live with this in your heart and your memory.”
Rapper Paul Wall, who spoke at Saturday’s rally, called Jazmine the “angel of Houston.”
“This is our angel now. This is our angel of Houston,” Wall said. “Jazmine represents something bigger. Something that we must stand for. We cannot fold for this.”
Jazmine’s great-aunt Elizabeth Cevilla-Perez through tears said she was amazed by the outpouring of support from the community and the hundreds gathered at the Walmart parking lot Saturday.
“They don’t even know her and here they are supporting us,” she said. “I’m so proud to be a Houstonian right now.”