On June 26, 2022, 28-year-old St. Joseph County Jail corrections officer and U.S. Army veteran Rhema Harris was killed by a stray bullet during a drive-by shooting in Mishawaka, Indiana. Harris was at a friend’s home on Milburn Boulevard for a cookout when gunfire from a passing vehicle struck her in the chest after one round penetrated the house; she was not the intended target.

Investigators identified two teenage suspects: 17-year-old Braxton Bird and his 14-year-old brother Braelyn Rios. Authorities say the shooting grew out of a dispute Bird had with a teenage girl who lived at the residence; Bird reportedly sent threatening social media messages beforehand. Witnesses said the group drove past the house twice before opening fire, with Bird firing a rifle and his younger brother using a handgun.

Braxton Bird was charged as an adult with murder, attempted murder, and criminal recklessness. Braelyn Rios was initially handled in juvenile court; he was later transferred to adult court and charged in connection with the shooting. If anyone knew Rhema, her activities that night, or the people involved, please share what was seen or heard.