On Sunday, May 26, 2024, 5-year-old Reign Ware was killed by gunfire on the Near West Side of Chicago around 3:30 a.m. Reign was sitting in a parked car next to her father in the 200 block of South Campbell Avenue, near Jackson, when shots rang out. Witnesses described a hail of bullets and a vehicle involved, identified by some as a Jeep Cherokee; at least four men reportedly emerged and opened fire in what appeared to be a targeted ambush. Reign was shot in the abdomen and later pronounced dead at Stroger Hospital. Her father was shot twice in the thigh and taken to Stroger in good condition.

Neighbors said they heard dozens of shots, with one resident estimating as many as 50, and said the block has had problems with rowdy, violent parties. No arrests have been announced. A community activist offered a $1,000 reward for information leading to an arrest and conviction, and the family’s GoFundMe had raised over $3,000 by May 28. Reign’s mother, Raven Adams, described her daughter as vibrant and outgoing, an aspiring dancer who was due to start kindergarten. If anyone has information that could help identify those responsible, please come forward.