Tiara M. Parks, a 23-year-old African American woman, was tragically shot and killed on April 23, 2016, in Chicago, Illinois. Tiara was the daughter of a Cook County Sheriff's deputy and a recent college graduate. She was also a single mother to a 3-year-old boy. The incident occurred in the Roseland neighborhood, specifically at the intersection of 114th and South Stewart Avenue, around 9 p.m. Tiara and two other individuals were exiting a vehicle when an unknown assailant opened fire.
Tiara was shot in the head and was pronounced dead at Roseland Community Hospital. The other victims, a 24-year-old man who was shot in the lower back and a 27-year-old man who was shot in the left leg, were also taken to the hospital and later stabilized.
The shooting took place near Haley Elementary Academy, a location identified as a Safe Zone. Despite this designation, the area has been plagued by violence. On the night of the shooting, approximately 20 people were present on the block. The driver of the car in which Tiara was a passenger attempted to drive the victims to the hospital, but their vehicle crashed en route. Community activist Andrew Holmes distributed flyers to Roseland residents, hoping that surveillance footage from the school might provide leads in the case.
Tiara's father, Michael Parks, expressed his heartbreak and frustration over his inability to protect his daughter. He called for increased investment in South and West Side neighborhoods to provide better opportunities for young people and reduce violence. The Cook County Sheriff's office released a statement expressing their condolences and support for Deputy Parks and his family. As of the latest reports, no arrests have been made, and the investigation is ongoing.
