Crime
16-Year-Old Hailey Blake and Father Shawn Blake Killed in Liberty City Park Targeted Shooting
LIBERTY CITY, Texas — A 16-year-old girl and her father were fatally shot Monday afternoon in what investigators believe was a targeted attack at Hugh Camp Memorial Park in Liberty City, according to the Gregg County Sheriff’s Office.
The victims have been identified as Hailey Nicole Blake, 16, and her father, Shawn Glen Blake, 49. Both were pronounced dead at the scene.
Authorities said a third individual, believed to be Hailey’s boyfriend, Christopher Wayne Hicks Jr., sustained what appeared to be self-inflicted, life-threatening injuries.
He was transported to a local hospital, where his condition remains critical.
Deputies, along with Christus EMS personnel and Texas Department of Public Safety troopers, responded to the park Monday afternoon after reports of multiple gunshot victims.
Life-saving measures were initiated, but both Hailey and her father could not be revived.
In a statement issued Tuesday, Chief Deputy Craig Harrington emphasized that the violence was not random:
“At this time, it is believed this was a targeted attack and not a random act of violence. There were no other injuries at the park reported other than the three subjects involved.”
The sheriff’s office confirmed that two off-duty first responders who happened to be at the park immediately assisted the victims, though they were not directly involved in the altercation.
Hailey was a student at Sabine High School. The school district expressed its condolences in a statement Monday night, saying:
“We are deeply saddened by the loss of one of our students. We will have additional support and counseling on campus tomorrow. Please keep the families, our school, and our community in your prayers.”
The Gregg County Sheriff’s Office is urging anyone who witnessed the shooting or has information relevant to the investigation to come forward.
Authorities have identified the man shot and killed Friday afternoon in a parking lot outside a Little Caesars restaurant in Chicago’s Little Village neighborhood.
The victim has been named as Stevens Jeffrey, 29, according to police and the Cook County Medical Examiner’s Office.
The shooting occurred in the 2600 block of West Cermak Road near Rockwell Street at approximately 1:10 p.m., according to the Chicago Police Department (CPD).
Preliminary reports indicate that Jeffrey was sitting in his vehicle when he was approached by an unknown vehicle.
An armed individual exited that vehicle and opened fire, striking Jeffrey multiple times in the face and body.
Emergency responders arrived on the scene, where Jeffrey was pronounced dead. He was discovered inside his vehicle with his two young children, ages 4 and 6, who were unharmed.
Both children were transported to Stroger Hospital for precautionary evaluation.
The shooting took place in the parking lot of a Little Caesars restaurant, where investigators recovered multiple shell casings and placed numerous evidence markers on the ground.
As of Friday evening, no suspects are in custody, and detectives from the CPD Area Four Homicide Unit are leading the investigation. Police have not released information on a possible motive.
Authorities are urging anyone with information about this homicide to contact Chicago Police or submit an anonymous tip at CPDTip.com.