On a spring evening in Seattle on May 3, 2017, 16-year-old Kahlani Shabazz was filled with the excitement of upcoming high school milestones. The young female from Puyallup had been talking with her mother, Elizabeth 'Nonnie' Sye, about finding a prom dress just after school. Their plan for the evening was to order a birthday cake for her grandson from Borracchini's Bakery on Rainier Avenue South, a place her mother had frequented for over two decades, and then head to the mall for prom
shopping. Those plans were tragically cut short in an instant of violence.
As her mother was preparing to turn into the bakery's parking lot, a silver four-door sedan pulled alongside their car and an occupant opened fire. Kahlani, sitting in the passenger seat, was struck in the head by the gunfire. Her mother, initially reacting to the sound of the pops by trying to move her car out of the way, quickly realized what had happened. Despite her mother's desperate attempts to render aid, Kahlani's injuries were fatal, and she died in her mother's arms. The King County Medical Examiner later confirmed that she died from multiple gunshot wounds. A stray bullet from the shooting also struck and injured another person inside the bakery, who survived.
In the aftermath of the shooting, the Seattle Police Department began an investigation, stating they believe the vehicle Kahlani was in was specifically targeted, though a motive has remained elusive. Years have passed since the fatal shooting, but no arrests have been made, and no suspects have been publicly identified. Kahlani's mother has made emotional public pleas for anyone with information to come forward, expressing the profound void left by the death of her only daughter, who had dreams of becoming a lawyer. The case remains an open and active investigation, a painful and unresolved chapter for a grieving family and community.
