ByRiley Bean|May 24, 2021 at 11:26 AM EDT - Updated May 24 at 1:24 PM
CHARLESTON, S.C. (WCSC) - The Charleston County Coroner’s Office has released the name of a 14-year-old girl killed at an unauthorized concert in North Charleston this weekend.
Charleston County Coroner Bobbi Jo O’Neal says Ronjanae Smith, 14, of North Charleston was pronounced dead at The Medical University of South Carolina Shawn Jenkins Hospital at 6:54 a.m. Sunday.
O’Neal says Smith died from a gunshot wound which occurred at approximately 10:27 p.m. Saturday in the area of Piggly Wiggly Drive and W. Jimtown Drive.
Police did not specify the ages of the other victims, but said people of various ages attended the event.
Burgess said victim advocates are working with the family.
Smith’s father Ronald Smith wrote the following letter to the public:
As everyone knows by now I’m the father of the beautiful Ronjanae Smith that senselessly and tragically lost her life to gun violence on this past Saturday. The hurt I have for the lost of Ronjanae can only be described as defeat. The fact that I will no longer be able to get a simple (I love you daddy text or be able to FaceTime with her or simply hit the like button on a post she makes is disheartening. Mass shootings aren’t secluded to “poverty-stricken areas”. Violence and/or Ignorance doesn’t reside in one area nor does it reside with a particular race. We lost 9 praying people in a place of the lord by Dylan Roof. 12 people were killed at a movie theater in Colorado by James Holmes. 2 people lost their lives yesterday at a New Jersey house party. Someone was killed at Vibez nightclub with security and Several Law enforcement officers outside so it’s not the club owners fault, its the individuals who have intent to hurt people at all cost with no regard for human life or the Law. Ronjanae’s mother Katrina Sinclair and myself would like to keep the focus on finding the perpetrators responsible for not only murdering our daughter but hurting the other children that will now have to deal with constant trauma of the site of murder and loud gun shots. Let’s not deflect away from the real issue by giving attention to a drunk fest or an unauthorized party. We must come together as a community and stop this violence. We’d like to thank the police department for working tirelessly in this on going investigation. We’d like to thank all of our friends for the support as well as the community for the great outpouring of well wishes and prayers. Katrina and I aren’t seeking revenge, were seeking accountability. We ask that no one act out of retaliation as we have put this senseless act in God’s hand. If you want to honor Ronjanae honor her with prayer, honor her with togetherness. Honor her with becoming more educated. Honor her by not being hateful and most importantly honor her by being a positive community that can stop violence by all means necessary. Please respect our privacy as we grieve.Ronjanae, we all miss you and love you baby girl.
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