A man was charged Thursday with the murder of a 12-year-old girl shot on her birthday in 2022.
Rahdeem Calhoun, 23, of Chicago, was arrested by CPD and the Great Lakes Regional Fugitive Task Force in the 7500 block of South Normal and charged with first-degree murder.
He’s accused of being the third suspect in the deadly shooting of Nyzireya Moore — who was shot on March 1, 2022 in the 2300 block of West 72nd Street.
On what should have been a joyful day for Nyzireya Moore, a young girl spent time with her family in Chicago’s West Englewood neighborhood. It was her birthday, and she had been sitting in a car as the celebration wrapped up. But the festivities took an awful turn as gunfire erupted between three men in a nearby altercation.
The authorities said the men shooting at each other targeted another vehicle, but one of those bullets went astray and hit Nyzireya. She had gone to the hospital in terribly critical condition, where she, even after the effort of the doctors, succumbed to injuries three days later.
Chicago Police Superintendent David Brown said that previously 23-year-old Malik Parish, better known to many as the Chicago rapper Bando KD, and 22-year-old Abdul Ali have both been arrested and charged with first-degree murder in connection with Moore’s death. Authorities say both men were involved in the shootout that cost an innocent girl her life.
” We will not tolerate this kind of violence in our city,”
Superintendent Brown said during the news conference.
“An innocent child was killed while celebrating her birthday-a day that should have been filled with joy. We will be relentless in our pursuit of those responsible.”
Parish’s arrest received extra attention, given his local notoriety as an up-and-coming rapper. The incident was especially heartbreaking, adding to the public reaction to their case against him.
The investigation revealed the shooting was gang-related, identifying the gunmen had targeted a member of a rival gang. Chicago law enforcement investigated tirelessly to solve the case, taking advantage of a mix of surveillance footage, witness statements, and community tips about finding the shooters. The video captured parts of the chaotic exchange of gunfire, which helped investigators piece together events leading to Nyzireya Moore’s death.
Superintendent Brown praised the cooperation among detectives, neighbors, and businesses whose security cameras seized vital photos.
“Without community support and technology, we would not be standing here today making the announcement of these arrests,”
he said.
While Parish and Ali await their trial, the trial remains closely watched by the public and the media’s scrutiny.
The young age and the senselessness of the crime victim, who was just 12 years old, deeply resonated with Chicagoans who are already frustrated with the city’s struggle to put a stop to the shooting. The case has reinvigorated debate over what is being done to stem shootings and sparked new calls for stronger ways to deal with gang violence.
Both men charged in the case have pleaded not guilty. However, to the prosecutors, the evidence will show otherwise and translate into convictions. The trial is expected to be highly publicized, with community leaders calling for justice in the name of the slain 12-year-old.
Meanwhile, the family of Nyzireya Moore had to mourn the disastrous loss that continues to receive an outpouring of support from the community. Community members held candlelight vigils in her honor while local leaders called her death a tragic reminder of how gang violence is continuing to cut short innocent lives.
