31 July 2023 , 15:29
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A devastated mum who has seen her daughter shot dead just like her son has made heartbreaking comments about violence plaguing the streets.
Natasha Graham's 21-year-old daughter Kanesha Gaines was senselessly slaughtered in a mass shooting after being struck in the face by a bullet at a party at 1am on Sunday, when a group of gunmen pulled up in a jeep and opened fire at the crowd.
Mumof-two Kanesha's untimely death has seen Natasha devastated by gun violence for a second time, after her son, Keshaun Graham, Kanesha's brother, was shot to death in 2019 at just 18-years-old.
Natasha told NBC Chicago: "These children, not only my daughter, but every child that gets shot there, they deserve some type of justice.
"Our kids, our teenagers should be able to go hang out. Our young kids should be able to play outside, they should be allowed.
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"It shouldn't always be violence every time the young adults decide to go and hang out."
Keshaun Graham was shot dead at the age of 18 in 2019Natasha was shot in the face in Chicago's North Lawndale area when a group of armed people turned up to the gathering at the 1500 block of South Keeler in a jeep, got out and sprayed the crowd with a hail of bullets, police said.
She was rushed to hospital but sadly died, despite the best efforts of emergency medics.
Another woman is fighting for life in hospital, in a critical condition having been shot eight times in the torso.
Natasha is in mourning once againSeven other women were shot, but were described by police as being in a good condition in hospital.
Natasha was killed while celebrating her friend's birthday - just four years after her older brother met the same fate.
The eight other injured women were said to be her friends. It's believed the shooters drove a black Jeep into the car park where the Hawaiian party was being held and opened fire.
Kanesha leaves behind two childrenKanesha, who worked as a stylist and a home healthcare worker, leaves behind a three-year-old son and a daughter, two.
Speaking to ABC Eyewitness News, Natasha said: "I'm unbearably hurt. That's my oldest daughter. That's my oldest daughter. Kanesha was a funny everything. She was outgoing. She was the queen of the world."
Natasha showed incredible courage while speaking out following her daughter's death, saying: "I'm going to continue to be the strong one. I'm going to help my family and we're going to make it past this."
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It has been reported that several people were in the black Jeep.
Police have launched an investigation and no arrests have been made so far.