In a tragic event that unfolded in a Haltom City, Texas, parking lot, 6-year-old Nathy Mbuyi was killed on March 27, 2026. The young girl, a kindergartener at Cheney Hills Elementary School, was the victim of a premeditated attack orchestrated by her own father. The incident, which has been described by police as a "carefully planned" ambush, also claimed the life of Nathy's 33-year-old mother, Raissa Thatukila.
The Haltom City Police Department identified the shooter as 30-year-old John Mbuyi, Nathy's father. Investigators revealed that John Mbuyi had lured Nathy and her mother to the parking lot of Birdville Stadium under the guise of giving them money. Instead, he opened fire on them before taking his own life. The shooting was the tragic culmination of an ongoing custody dispute between John Mbuyi and Raissa Thatukila. Police reports indicate that John harbored "significant grievances" towards Thatukila and was also dealing with personal distress following the recent death of his own father.
The community was left heartbroken by the senseless violence. A makeshift memorial of flowers, balloons, and stuffed animals grew in the parking lot where the shooting occurred, a testament to the grief felt for the young girl and her mother. Birdville Independent School District, where Nathy was a student, expressed its devastation over the loss and made crisis counselors available to students and staff. The police have stated that they will not be releasing further information on the case to allow the family and friends of the victims the privacy to grieve.
