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Angel Hooper, 6, Killed While Buying Gum in Kansas City Drive-By Shooting

The 6-year-old and her father had stopped by a 7-Eleven after finishing a jog on Oct. 17.

Kansas City police are searching for those responsible for the fatal shooting of 6-year-old Angel Hooper on Oct. 17. The young Black girl and her father were picking up a pack of gum at a local 7-Eleven convenience store around 7 p.m. after finishing a jog, The Kansas City Star reports.

An unidentified person fired shots at the store’s parking lot from a passing car, hitting Angel, who soon died at a nearby hospital that Friday evening. Police say that Angel was not the intended victim.

A vigil attended by hundreds of supporters was held in Angel’s honor this past weekend. Family members described her as a “quick-witted” and “affectionate” child who loved Michael Jackson and was an active member of her church.

"Her name, Angel, it really fit her," her mother, Charity Guinn, told KCTV5 News. "She was just so sweet."

Teachers recalled Angel's promise and ambition, pointing out that she had already qualified for a gifted and talented program.

“Angel has all the power of the Kansas City Police Department behind her,” Maj. Karl Oakman, commander of the police department’s South Patrol Divison, said. “Wherever you are, we will find you.”

According to KCTV5 News, the intersection where the store is located is “all too often the scene of violence, including shootings and robberies.” Mayor Sly James blamed gun culture for Angel’s death in a statement released last Saturday.

"The senseless drive-by shooting last night that led to the death of a 6-year-old girl is another reason why we must get serious about gun violence," he said. "Criminals are no longer killing each other. They are killing our children. This nonsense must end."

Police are encouraging anyone with information on Hooper’s death to contact the TIPS Hotline at 816-474-8477. A cash reward is being offered for tips that lead to an arrest and conviction.

A GoFundMe campaign launched by Angel’s family to raise funds for the family has already received more than $5,000 in three days.

Watch Kevin Hart in a new episode of Real Husbands of Hollywood every Tuesday, 10P/9C.

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(Photo: AP Photo/Hooper Family)

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