As Hadiya Pendleton quickly becomes a tragic symbol of Chicago gun violence, city police are trying to track down her killer with little information.
"I already pledged to the family that we are going to ensure that the person or persons accountable for this crime are apprehended and brought to justice," Supt. Garry McCarthy said Wednesday, "So I will reaffirm that publicly to you all now."
Since then McCarthy has said the department received many calls and tips about what transpired Tuesday afternoon, when someone ran toward Hadiya's group of friends at a South Side park and opened fired.
All of those tips must be checked out, McCarthy said, but as of Thursday there was "nothing to report."
Hadiya was hanging out with friends when she was fatally struck in the back. Two others were shot, one seriously. McCarthy said none of the kids fired on were involved in gangs.
"We believe that somebody [mistook] the group that was hanging out here, of innocent children," he said, "returned with a firearm and fired into the crowd."
Hadiya was distinctly against violence, demonstrating that four years ago when she made an anti-gang public service video at Carter G. Woodson Elementary School.
"Hi, my name is Hadiya. This commercial is informational for you and your future children," she says in the video. "So many children out there are in gangs and it's your job as students to say no to gangs and yes to a great future."
McCarthy hammered that home, warning gangs they cannot take over Chicago neighborhoods and asking anyone with information to come forward. "We cannot let the offender get away with this senseless tragedy," he said.
Mayor Rahm Emanuel also implored anyone with knowledge of the shooter to speak up. "If anybody has any information, you are not a snitch," he said. "You're a citizen. You're a good citizen in good standing if you help."
