KANSAS CITY, Mo. — FOX 4 has learned more about an innocent victim who died after getting shot at a city park. Kansas City police say Evette Clint got caught in the crossfire when bullets flew at Swope Park, which is just down the street from her home.
Evette's mom says she still can't believe her daughter lost her life.
"She just loved being cute. She was always doing something with her hair and eyebrows with her sisters. She just had a big personality," said a proud Marvette Griddine about her 31-year-old daughter.
"We'd talk every day. I know on that horrible day she kept saying 'Mom walk with me outside and give me a hug.' I just say thank you Jesus my baby walked me outside and gave me a kiss and said, 'Mom, I love you,' because that was the last time I saw her," said Griddine as she held back tears.
Griddine says on May 7 her daughter was at Swope Park near Swope Parkway and East Meyer with some friends for a graduation party. What was supposed to be a fun, celebratory time, suddenly turned violent and chaotic.
Witnesses told police that Sunday night several men with guns started firing non-stop into a crowd of people for no apparent reason and then sped off.
"I was down the street at Evette's home. She was supposed to come here, pick up her child and go to a family function. She just lived four blocks from the park and all of a sudden I heard pop, pop, pop and then more repetition of guns going off. I said, 'oh my gosh, somebody is in trouble,'" Griddine told FOX 4's Robert Townsend during an exclusive interview on Monday.
The startled Kansas City mom had no idea that the "somebody" would be her own daughter.
Witnesses also told police say after all the gunfire, a frantic Evette Clint, in her car at the time, got shot in her face as she was trying to leave the park and crashed into a tree.
The young mom, who had a 3-year-old daughter and was supposed to start a new banking job this week, died the next day.
"I'm hurt. I'm angry whoever did this, why would you do this in a park full of people with kids? There were babies there. These young people today just don't have any regard for human life. I do! Her life mattered. That was my child. I'm praying karma will get whoever did this. If they don't turn themselves in or somebody else, I'm praying God handles it," said a frustrated Marvette Griddine.
Meanwhile, the Evette Cliint Memorial Fund is now set up on You Caring. All donations will assist Clint's family with her funeral expenses. The young mom's funeral will be held on Saturday.
