Kelsie Small was 19 when she was fatally shot during the early morning of Saturday, May 9, 2020, in the Old Louisville neighborhood. A 2018 Central High School graduate, she had been studying nursing at Northern Kentucky University and hoped to become a nurse practitioner. Her mother, Delisa Love, described her as vibrant and determined.

On the night of the shooting Small was driving friends home. At about 2:30 a.m. in the 900 block of South First Street, shots were fired. Small and a 15-year-old male passenger were both struck and taken to University of Louisville Hospital. The teenager was expected to survive, but Small died of her wounds and was pronounced dead around 3:15 a.m.

The Louisville Metro Police Department Homicide Unit opened an investigation and Kelsie’s mother publicly appealed for information, saying Kelsie was not the intended target. No arrests or suspects have been publicly reported. If anyone has information about that night or Kelsie’s movements on South First Street, please come forward.