In the spring of 2015, the life of Kenyetta Barnes, a 32-year-old Black mother of seven, was tragically cut short in her Pontiac, Michigan, home. On the evening of April 14th, an argument erupted between Barnes and her 21-year-old boyfriend, Akira McCray, in an upstairs bedroom of their residence on Shirley Street. The dispute escalated to a fatal conclusion when McCray produced a handgun and shot Barnes multiple times in the chest.
As a result of the gunfire, she fell into her bedroom closet.
The violence of that evening also scarred one of her children. Barnes's 2-year-old daughter, Ahmiya, was standing beside her mother during the assault and was struck in the leg by a bullet. Fortunately, the young girl survived and was reported to be in stable condition after being taken to a nearby hospital. Three other children who were also in the home at the time of the incident were physically unharmed.
In the immediate aftermath of the shooting, Akira McCray was taken into custody by law enforcement. He was subsequently charged with a litany of serious offenses, including open murder, assault with intent to murder, and two counts of possessing a firearm during the commission of a felony. It was noted that McCray did not have a prior criminal record and was not the biological father of any of Kenyetta Barnes's children.
The legal process moved forward, and in July 2016, Akira McCray was sentenced for his crimes. A judge ordered him to serve 30 years in prison for the murder of Kenyetta Barnes. The conclusion of the court proceedings brought a measure of justice for a family and community left to mourn the violent loss of a mother, daughter, and friend.
