On October 20, 2019, 2-year-old Nikolette Rivera was shot in the head while being held by her mother inside their Kensington home in Philadelphia. The gunfire came from an AK-47 assault rifle used by two men who were targeting a drug dispute involving Nikolette’s father and mistakenly believed he was inside the house. Nikolette’s mother, Joan Ortiz, was also shot in the head and back but survived.

Authorities identified Tayvon Thomas and Freddie Perez as the shooters. Thomas later turned himself in and Perez was arrested shortly after the attack. The case underscored the deadly consequences of gun violence on children and families in the neighborhood. If anyone has information about that night or knew the family, please come forward to help provide answers.