Family says 20-year-old woman dead, shot during a robbery while celebrating her sister's birthday

MILWAUKEE (WITI) -- A 20-year-old woman is dead after she was shot during a robbery in Milwaukee this past weekend. It happened early Sunday, January 4th near 6th and Vine.

Myonna Holmes birthday will forever be the day her sister died.

20-year-old Jahara Kennedy was one of several who came to the Days Inn near 6th and Vine to celebrate on Saturday night.

Holmes says three people followed one of the party-goers inside a hotel room. The victim's family says these people were interested in some designer jeans -- called "Robin's Jeans."

"They came in the room. It was my party. I ain't know them. I just can't imagine -- seeing my sister lying there like that," Holmes said.

Holmes says she watched as the three uninvited men took a few dollars from her party guests, along with cell phones.

"After all this, he decides he's going to shoot -- and the bullet went through the door and hit my cousin," Juanita Gray said.

Another woman was also shot, but she's expected to survive. Jahara Kennedy was shot in the head -- and didn't survive her injuries.

"The violence needs to stop. People need to start telling what people are doing. Too many young people are ending up dead out here," Gray said.

"My sister's in heaven and whatever happened to her bro, it wasn't meant. I'll never forget this day bro. It  happened on my birthday and I'll never forget that bro," Holmes said.

Kennedy's family gathered at Froedtert Hospital on Monday, January 5th as the young woman they knew as ambitious, with dreams of becoming a singer and a model was taken off life support. She was the mother of a two-year-old boy.

"It's got to stop. It's got to stop somewhere. I don't know. I don't know no more. I just want to know why? If you already robbed somebody, why do you all have to shoot? You already robbed my little brother and my friends. Why did you have to shoot? You already took all you can," Holmes said.

Milwaukee police say they are looking for the suspects responsible for this shooting.

Meanwhile, Kennedy's family says she is giving the gift of life through organ donation. They are asking anyone who may know who might be responsible for what happened, to please call police.



Related stories: