Kennah Wilson, an 18-year-old woman from Oakland, California, was tragically killed on August 29, 2008, in a drive-by shooting. She was seven months pregnant at the time, excitedly preparing for the birth of her daughter, whom she planned to name Kamilah Donyea. On the evening of the incident, Kennah was outside her East Oakland apartment, speaking with friends and neighbors about her upcoming baby shower, when gunmen opened fire on the group. The shooting took place on the 8200 block of MacArthur Boulevard, an area that had seen several incidents of violence in previous months.
In addition to Kennah, her unborn daughter was delivered via an emergency Cesarean section but only survived for 31 minutes at Highland Hospital. The drive-by shooting also wounded four other people, including two 15-year-olds, adding to the violence that had plagued the neighborhood that year. Kennah's boyfriend and father of her unborn child, Joe Robinson, was also present during the shooting. He, along with other family members, was deeply affected by the tragedy, and Robinson's brother was among those wounded during the incident.
Kennah's death highlighted the ongoing issues of gun violence in the community. Her funeral, held shortly after her death, was attended by friends, family, and community members, many of whom wore T-shirts with her picture, reading "Rest in Paradise." The neighborhood where Kennah was killed had been the site of several violent incidents, prompting local officials to meet in attempts to address safety concerns. In response, the city increased police patrols and deployed street outreach workers to try to prevent further violence. Kennah's family and others in the community continue to call for meaningful action to address the violence that cost Kennah and her unborn child their lives.
