17 Year Old Shot on Playground Dies

D.C. Police say a 17-year-old girl who was shot on a Northeast Washington playground on Thursday night has died, and the shooters remain on the loose.

It happened in the 500 block of Edgewood Street NE around 8:20 p.m. They say Kenyetta Daiarra Nicholson-Stanley had been shot in the head, and she was taken to Washington Hospital Center's MedSTAR Unit in critical condition.

Police say she died of her injuries just before 3 p.m. on Friday afternoon.

According to police, the bullet wasn't meant for Kenyetta. They say she was talking to two security guards on the playground of an apartment complex when two masked men came around the corner and started shooting. Police believe the guards were the targets, and the teenager just happened to be in the way.

Investigators say the security guards did return fire, but the gunmen got away.

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Kenyetta was a senior at Hyde Leadership Charter School in D.C. Her teachers say she was coming out of her shell this year, and becoming less reserved. They say she was looking forward to college and a career.

"Last Friday almost around this time, she was on the stage dancing and performing, break dancing against the boys and doing a phenomenal job, and what we were excited about with her this year is she was coming out and she is on her own, and starting to show us her unique potential," said Dr. Joann Cason, the school's principal.

"She was always very curious," said Kim Stalnaker, one of Kenyetta's teachers. "I said, 'Kenyetta, you always have that question that nobody else would ask.' I taught her history. She would always think a little bit differently than everybody else."

D.C. Police say they believe the gunmen were targeting the special security officers. Why?

"Well from all indications, it appears the security officers were just trying to do their job, and it's a matter of respect for the law, a lack of respect for the community, and lack of respect clearly for human life," said Chief Cathy Lanier.

There were no reports of any threats against the officers before the gunfire. The armed special police officers, employed by a company called Code Three, returned fire but it appears neither man was hit.

"The message we are sharing with the community in Edgewood is call us," said Chief Lanier. "We know there are people in Edgewood who know who these guys are and we want you to help us."

"Both of them put ski masks on, but we know that people saw them prior to the incident without the masks, and we know that people saw them after the incident without masks, and we need those people to come forward and help us," said Acting Captain Mike Farish.

D.C. Police say the armed security officers were asking non-residents to leave the property when the shooting began.

FOX 5 tried to reach the management of the complex on Friday as well as the security company, but neither returned our calls.

D.C. Police say they will have an increased presence in the neighborhood on Friday night.

Anyone with information about this case is asked to call police at (202) 727-9099 or 1-888-919-CRIM [E] (1-888-919-2746).