In the Hilltop neighborhood of Tacoma, Washington, on July 6, 2022, a devastating act of violence cut short the life of 14-year-old Iyana Ussery, a Black female. On what began as an ordinary day, Ussery was a passenger in a car with several other young people, on their way to a convenience store to buy snacks. Suddenly, their vehicle was ambushed in a hail of gunfire near the intersection of South 19th Street and Martin Luther King Jr. Way.
In the chaos of the moment, a bullet struck Ussery, inflicting a fatal wound. The driver of the car sped away from the scene, heading to Ussery's mother's home a short distance away. Tragically, upon their arrival, Iyana was pronounced dead in the backyard of the residence.
The shooting, which occurred in broad daylight, sent shockwaves through the community and highlighted a surge in youth violence that had been plaguing the city. The investigation into Ussery's death moved swiftly, and within a day, two teenage suspects were identified and apprehended. The suspects, 17-year-olds Christopher Anthony P. Felizardo and Jeremiah Anthony Greg Averitt, were arrested in connection with the shooting. Authorities indicated that the shooting was not a random act of violence, but rather a targeted attack, possibly stemming from a gang-related feud involving one of the other passengers in the car Ussery was in.
In the aftermath of the tragedy, both Felizardo and Averitt were charged as adults with second-degree murder, among other charges. The legal proceedings that followed culminated in plea deals for both young men. Felizardo pleaded guilty to first-degree manslaughter and two counts of second-degree assault. Averitt entered a guilty plea to conspiracy to commit second-degree murder, second-degree assault, and two counts of third-degree assault. In November 2024, both Felizardo and Averitt, by then 19 years old, were sentenced to 12 years in state custody for their roles in the death of Iyana Ussery. A third individual believed to have been involved in the shooting was never identified or charged.
