11-year-old killed by stray bullet as she slept, GA officials say. Man convicted
It's been over two years since a stray bullet struck the 11-year-old as she slept beside her sister at their family's apartment in Griffin. Now, the man accused of firing the fatal shot is headed to prison, prosecutors said.
Kionta Parks, 23, was given a life sentence Tuesday, Aug. 5, after pleading guilty to felony murder, aggravated assault and other charges in the 2023 shooting, according to Georgia Attorney General Chris Carr's office.
He was also convicted of domestic terrorism, violation of the Street Gang Terrorism and Prevention Act, and possession of a firearm during the commission of a felony, Carr's office said.
Attorney information for Parks was not immediately available.
'No parent should have to worry about their child making it through the night because gang violence is right outside their door,' Carr said in a news release.
'While nothing can erase the pain caused by this defendant's senseless actions, we hope there's comfort in knowing that justice has been served and Asijah's memory will never be forgotten.'
Investigators said Parks was a known member of the Zoo Krew street gang and was often spotted 'patrolling' the neighborhood while armed with firearms. He also had ongoing disputes with younger members within the gang, according to authorities.
He targeted a fellow gang member March 13, 2023, unleashing a hail of gunfire on a vehicle as they turned into the neighborhood, prosecutors said. One of the bullets pierced the bedroom wall of a nearby apartment, hitting a sleeping Asijah.
She died at the scene, authorities said. Asijah's mom and brother were also home at the time of the shooting.
'Parks ultimately fired 28 rounds that evening, with 23 rifle casings and five 9mm casings found at the scene,' Carr's office said. Authorities added that the 9mm casings matched those from a separate shooting a month earlier.
Residents were hesitant to speak with police about the shootings, prosecutors said, citing Parks's use of 'violence and threats of violence to create fear.'
'When Kionta Parks pled today, he stood in front of a Judge, Asijah's parents, friends, and family,' Sheriff Darrell Dix said in the release. 'He admitted to everyone in that courtroom that he killed an 11-year-old child who had her whole life ahead of her, while his whole life has been a complete failure and waste.'
Family members said Asijah was a month shy of celebrating her 12th birthday.
She 'was such a loving and talented little girl with big dreams and a funny personality,' according to a GoFundMe. 'Words can not describe the pain our family is enduring right now.'
Parks remained in custody at the Spalding County Jail as of Aug. 7, online records show.
Griffin is about a 40-mile drive south from downtown Atlanta.
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