LANHAM, Md. — The father of a high school student killed just days before her 17th birthday says his daughter was an innocent bystander who was shot during an argument with a large group of kids.
Jayda Medrano-Moore was shot and killed Monday around 4 p.m. Prince George's County Police said the teen was walking along Palamar Drive shortly after school let out when two groups of people got into a fight. Medrano-Moore's younger brother was present. Her father, Glendon Reid, told WUSA9 that his daughter was trying to appeal to a suspect with a gun to put it down when he shot her.
"It's just like a nightmare, oh my goodness it's so terrible," Reid said. "We want the public to know that she was an innocent bystander, a loving child, very good at basketball, and her future was bright until this loss. Her future was very bright."
Reid started a GoFundMe to raised money for funeral services. Another GoFundMe for the family has been organized by Jayda's aunt, Linette Perez.
Police confirmed Reid's account that Medrano-Moore was not the intended target of the fighting.
Reid added that his daughter was a well-known ball player at DuVal High, and had aspirations of playing for the WNBA. She would have turned 17 on Sept. 24.
Grief counselors were brought into DuVal High School Tuesday to try and help students and staff cope with the loss. The beginnings of a makeshift memorial could also be seen on Palamar Drive where the shooting occurred just around the corner from the school.
Prince George's County Public Schools Superintendent Millard House described the crime as a "devastating loss of a bright, vibrant student."
"Her potential, quite frankly, boundless. Her dreams and aspirations, talent promising," House said. "She was a dedicated student and beloved daughter, cherished friend and a source of inspiration for many."
There’s also an effort now by the Uvalde Foundation for Kids to organize the equivalent of a citizen watch patrol during school dismissal times. They're actively recruiting community members to join the STOP NOW Volunteer School Patrols, which will monitor the area around the school.
"We are determined to find the suspect who callously, in broad daylight, killed one of our teenagers in our community," said Acting Deputy Chief Zachary O’Lare with Prince George's County Police.
A $25,000 reward is being offered by PGPD for information that leads to the arrest and conviction of the person who shot and killed Medrano-Moore.