On December 25, 2021, Desire Coston, a 16-year-old girl from Cincinnati, OH, was tragically shot and killed in the West End neighborhood. Desire, who was African American, had been reported missing earlier in December after running away from her foster home in Evanston. She was found in a pool of blood at the Gateway Plaza Apartments and was later pronounced dead at the University of Cincinnati Medical Center.
The investigation quickly led to the arrest of a 17-year-old boy, Rico Pryor,
who was charged with her murder. Rico, who was also African American, had a history of juvenile offenses and was on probation at the time of the shooting. He was charged with several offenses, including felonious assault and possessing weapons under disability. The prosecutor's office moved to have him tried as an adult due to the severity of the crime.
The case drew significant attention to the issues of youth violence and the foster care system. Community leaders and advocates called for more support and resources for at-risk youth to prevent such tragedies in the future. The loss of Desire Coston was a stark reminder of the challenges faced by young people in vulnerable situations and the importance of community intervention and support.
