Local News

Family Pleads For Information About Shooting Of Ladavionne Garrett Jr.

June 27, 2021 / 2:05 PM CDT / CBS Minnesota

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MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) - It has been nearly two months and still there have been no answers about who shot 10-year-old Ladavionne Garrett Jr. in Minneapolis.

He was hit in broad daylight while riding in a car with his parents near 34th and Morgan avenues. Police said a massive number of rounds were fired at the car he was riding in.

Garrett remains in critical condition.

On Sunday, his family shared a message with the shooter, while police announced an increased reward.

"It's 60 days that you have lived with this," said Sharrie Jennings, Garrett's grandmother. "This is a child that took a bullet to the head. This ain't like he got shot in the foot or the arm and he going to be okay. Ladavionne is fighting for his life every single day."

Police say they haven't received as many tips as they'd like and they're sure someone out there knows something.

"To those of you that have information and we know there are people with information," Minneapolis Police Public Information Officer said, "we need you to speak up, it is anonymous."

Ladavionne Garrett Jr. (credit: GoFundMe/Lisa Clemons)

Garrett was one of three children shot in a span of three weeks in Minneapolis between late April and mid-May. Trinity Ottoson-Smith, 9, died after a stray bullet struck her at a birthday party. Aniya Allen, 6, died a few days after she was shot in the head.

Police say an "enhanced" reward is now offered for information about the shootings, thanks to donations from local businesses. They say it now stands at $35,000, and will be divided equally among the three separate cases.

Sharrie Jennings, Ladavionne's Grandmother, urged people in the community to come forward.

"How are y'all so comfortable with not speaking up saying something?" she said. "This is ridiculous. No parent should have to live this nightmare...Somebody knows something. How is your conscience not eating you up?"

Jennings said closure may not be attainable for her, but an arrest could bring more understanding.

"These families are still hurting," she said. "These families still don't have answers, so I think we should be out here every day getting answers."

Police ask anyone with information to call Crimestoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS. Giving a tip to Crimestoppers is guaranteed to be anonymous. The system to identify someone to give the reward money is only triggered after the fact.