In the early morning hours of December 23, 2013, a tragic event unfolded in a Colorado Springs home that ended the life of 14-year-old Kiana Rae O'Neil. A freshman at Vista Ridge High School, Kiana was a vibrant young woman who had moved to the city from Alamosa. She was remembered by friends as being cheerful and fun to be around.
Just before 6 a.m., Kiana was attempting to re-enter her family's home on Ascendant Drive through a basement window when she was shot.
The person who fired the weapon was her stepfather, 29-year-old Daniel Meade, a second lieutenant and decorated soldier stationed at Fort Carson. Meade, who had been in the Army for a decade and served in Iraq, told authorities he mistook his stepdaughter for an intruder. A neighbor reported hearing three 'bangs' at the time of the incident. Emergency services were called to the home, and Kiana was rushed to a local hospital where she later died from her injuries, which were reported as gunshot wounds to the chest and stomach.
In the wake of the shooting, the Colorado Springs community mourned the loss of the young girl. Vigils were held in both La Jara, near her former hometown, and in a park near her Colorado Springs home, where attendees released purple balloons in her memory. Kiana's mother, Monica Meade, and her father, Gary O'Neil, who resides in Arizona, both spoke at one of the gatherings, expressing their grief and finding solace in the outpouring of love from the community.
The Colorado Springs Police Department conducted an investigation into the shooting. Ultimately, the case was presented to the 4th Judicial District Grand Jury. In June 2014, the grand jury concluded its investigation and decided not to file any criminal charges against Daniel Meade. The case was subsequently closed. The decision was reportedly influenced by Colorado's 'Make My Day' law, a version of the Castle Doctrine that allows homeowners to use deadly force against intruders if they fear for their safety.
