On July 1, 2017, 19-year-old Che’Reonna Thomas was a passenger in a car in the Brighton neighborhood of South Seattle when a drive-by shooting struck her in the head on the 4500 block of South Willow Street. Witnesses reported at least two cars speeding through the block, with occupants possibly exchanging gunfire. She was taken to Harborview Medical Center with life-threatening injuries and, after more than a month in hospital care — including a brief improvement and celebration of her twentieth birthday — she died on August 7, 2017. The King County Medical Examiner ruled her death a homicide.

Seattle Police Department detectives investigating the shooting’s gang connections used witness statements, surveillance footage and cell phone metadata to identify three suspects: Jerrod Victor Marks, Deautre D. Dorsey, and Dwayne Carlos Morris Jr. Court records say the men followed the vehicle Thomas was in and fired multiple shots; prosecutors later charged them with second-degree murder and unlawful possession of a firearm. Investigators also say the suspects were seen at a nearby park after the shooting, taking photos, smiling and flashing gang signs with weapons.

Anyone who knew Che’Reonna, was in the Brighton area that night, or has information relevant to the shooting is asked to come forward.