Family speaks out after 55-year-old woman fatally shot over violent Memorial Day weekend in Philly
PHILADELPHIA - Philadelphia detectives are investigating three murders from three different shootings that occurred less than an hour from each other during a violent Memorial Day weekend. Police identified the last victim of the three fatal shootings as 55-year-old Tonya Shelton. Her family spoke to FOX 29 after the horrific tragedy.
Sara Jackson, Tonya Shelton’s daughter, says Sunday night they discussed plans for her high school graduation coming up next week and never imagined that conversation would be their last.
"She was just very compassionate," said Sara Jackson.
"It didn’t have to be this way. I was just in the house with her talking, laughing," said Jackson. "I wish they didn’t take my mom the way that they took my mom."
Police say they got the call for a shooting just before 11:15 p.m. on West Wishart Street and found the 55-year-old shot in the head. She died minutes later at the hospital.
Jackson says there was an argument earlier in the day outside her mother’s home and a group of people came back to the block. She said she heard screaming outside, then crying.
"I wasn’t aware what they were crying for so when I finally seen anything I noticed my mom was laying on the floor across the street," said the victim’s daughter. "She wanted to protect us basically, and when I told her things that had happened and transpired outside, she was like on-going, wanted to react in a saving and protecting way."
Police say it was the third homicide they responded to in the city in less than an hour.
Memorial Day violence: 3 killed in 3 Philadelphia shootings in less than an hour
A tragic 60 minutes left three people dead as three separate shootings rang out across three different Philadelphia neighborhoods during a violent Memorial Day weekend.
Around 10:30 p.m, a 34-year-old was shot and killed inside a car on the 4900 block of Rorer Street and about 30 minutes later, a 23-year-old was fatally shot on the 2500 block of North Stanley Street.
Tonya’s family wants the people responsible to come forward.
"She always had a great genuine caring heart, and she always wanted to let people know she loved them and she always looked out for people," said her daughter.
"Now we’ve got to grieve your parents, whoever they are, they’re going to grieve too, because you’re not going to get away with it," said Edward Jackson, Father of Tonya Shelton.
Police are asking anyone with information on who killed Tonya Shelton or information on any of the three homicides last night to call them. You can also submit tips anonymously.