Calyia Elizabeth Stringer was a 3-year-old African American girl who died on September 7, 2021, after a stray bullet struck her in the head at her father’s apartment in the Roosevelt Homes public housing complex in East St. Louis. The gunfire began on the evening of September 5, 2021, during a confrontation outside the building: occupants of a dark-colored sedan reportedly opened fire on a crowd and at least one person from the crowd returned fire. A bullet penetrated the apartment wall and hit Calyia while she was watching TV. She was taken to a St. Louis area hospital and died two days later.

The suspects fled the scene and no arrests had been made. The East St. Louis Police Department and Illinois State Police opened an investigation and offered a reward for information leading to arrests. Family and neighbors expressed grief and called for justice, and residents urged increased security and a more permanent police presence at Roosevelt Homes.

If anyone has information about the shooting or the dark-colored sedan involved, please come forward.