Gov. Pat Quinn wrote a personal check for $1,000 to help the family of slain 11-year-old Shamiya Adams pay for her funeral this weekend, the Chicago Sun-Times reports.
Shamiya was killed July 18 while attending a slumber party at a friend's home in Chicago's Garfield Park. She was in a bedroom with four friends, preparing to make S'mores, when a shooting erupted outside the house and a bullet pierced the window, striking her in the head.
Eighteen-year-old Tevin Lee was later charged with murder, felony murder and aggravated discharge of a firearm.
On Thursday, Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel attended a fundraiser at a Ukrainian Village restaurant to raise money for Shamiya's funeral as the community mourned the tragedy. "There's some closure, but to lose a baby, that's going to go in our heads forever," said her grandfather, Roger Goodloe.
A spokesperson for Quinn did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the governor's donation.
This week, the Democratic incumbent, running for re-election this year, launched a public attack on Republican rival Bruce Rauner for not supporting a state ban on assault weapons.
"My opponent thinks people should have assault weapons as they see fit," Quinn said Wednesday. "The host of a show asked him 'What is the purposes of a military style assault weapon other than to kill people?' and he just sat there silent. He said he's for the right of people to bear assault weapons. I think we should put the assault weapons down."
Striking back, Campaign Rauner invoked the messy aftermath of Quinn's Neighborhood Recovery initiative, the anti-violence program he introduced in 2010 before defeating Bill Brady in the gubernatorial election. It's now under federal and state investigation amid allegations of bureaucratic incompetence and mishandling of state grant money.
"Pat Quinn's anti-crime policies have been disastrous for Illinois," sniped Rauner's rep Mike Schrimpf. "His only answer is a non-binding election year referendum. Pat Quinn is just not serious about dealing with crime in our communities. It's tragic."
