Savanna Wilson was 13 when she was fatally shot on May 24, 2017, at a residence on East Scarritt Street in Springfield, Illinois. Known as Vannie, she was a Jefferson Middle School student who cheered and played basketball; friends described her as social, who enjoyed reading, music, and dancing. She was taken to St. John’s Hospital after the shooting and died just before 1:00 a.m. the next day.

The shooting happened while Savanna was visiting the home; a 12-year-old boy who was a close friend brought a firearm and, while handling it, the weapon accidentally discharged, striking her in the abdomen. The boy was arrested and held at the Sangamon County Juvenile Detention Center on charges of unlawful use of a weapon and reckless conduct. Springfield police interviewed several people who had been in the house and investigated how the firearm was obtained.

Jefferson Middle School and the wider Springfield community reacted with grief; the district offered extra counseling and a fundraiser was started to help the family with funeral and medical costs. Does anyone who knew Savanna or was at the scene have information that could clarify how the firearm came into the house?