A young mother of two tragically lost her life to gun violence while accompanying her child to school in Louisville, Kentucky. This heartbreaking incident led to an impassioned outburst from the city’s police chief, who labeled the perpetrators as “absolutely pathetic.”
Redaja Williams, aged 23, was escorting her child to a bus stop around 8 a.m. on Wednesday when she was shot. Unfortunately, she succumbed to her injuries at the University of Louisville Health Hospital.
Thankfully, her child emerged unharmed from the shooting, marking the second such incident at the bus stop located just west of Downtown Louisville within a week, according to WDRB.
“Children should attend school and reach the bus stop without fearing gun violence or needing to run for their lives,” expressed Louisville Metro Police Chief Paul Humphrey during a Wednesday afternoon press conference.
“It is utterly unacceptable for such incidents to occur twice within a week,” he stated. “This is the second occasion in a week we’re addressing this, and it’s completely pathetic.”
The suspect remains at large, Humphrey mentioned, describing the individual as a young black male in a red hooded sweatshirt and black sweatpants. Security footage capturing the suspect has been made public.
On Wednesday, police arrested and questioned a 15-year-old boy near Shawnee High School, but it was later determined that he didn’t pull the trigger, even though he was at the scene of the shooting, Humphrey said.
Several children were at the bus stop at the time of the shooting.
“It is unacceptable that people simply trying to go to school must fear for their safety,” Humphrey said.
Homicide rates in Louisville are down in recent years, Humphrey stressed, but added that more still needs to be done.
“It’s not where it needs to be,” he admitted.
Williams leaves behind two kids, ages 2 and 7, her family said.
“My niece was killed yesterday in front of her daughter and her niece and all the other children who was on the bus,” Williams’ aunt, Donna Cole, told a press conference on Thursday.
“I’m traumatized. I live in fear. Not that they’re going to do anything to me but to another person’s child.”
The shooting came just six days after a gunman opened fire at the same bus stop on Aug. 7, the first day back for Jefferson County Public Schools.
A 15-year-old is facing 34 charges including wanton endangerment and possession of a handgun by a minor, WDRB reported.
Louisville Mayor, Democrat Craig Greenberg, also voiced frustration over the shooting as he appeared alongside Chief Humphrey at Wednesday’s press conference.
“My final emotion that I’ve had all day is I’m angry. I’m angry at the individual who killed this woman [on Wednesday],” he said. “I’m angry at the two people who shot at the same bus stop last week. I’m angry that people still do this in 2025 in our city.”
