CHICAGO, IL — On the night of July 4, 2025, as families across Chicago gathered for fireworks and festivities, a different kind of explosion echoed through the Chatham neighborhood on the city’s South Side. In a matter of seconds—just before 11 p.m.—a burst of gunfire ended the life of 16-year-old Meeyah Smith and wounded a 35-year-old man in what police describe as a targeted shooting on the 1200 block of East 83rd Street.
Smith, struck in the throat by a bullet, was rushed to Jackson Park Hospital, where she was pronounced dead shortly after arrival. She had no chance. The Cook County Medical Examiner’s Office confirmed her identity later that night. The second victim, whose name has not been released, was treated for a gunshot wound to his right thigh and is expected to recover.
The shooting has shaken a community already weary of gun violence. Friends, neighbors, and family members now find themselves mourning the death of a vibrant young girl with her life ahead of her—one more child lost to a street corner that turned deadly.
A Child of Chatham
Meeyah Smith was more than a statistic. She was a daughter, a sister, a friend, a student. She had just turned 16. Friends describe her as cheerful and witty, the kind of teen who loved dancing to TikTok trends but also had a quiet maturity beyond her years. She attended high school nearby and had dreams of becoming a nurse—“so I can take care of people and make them smile,” she once told a family member.
Her days were filled with typical teenage routines: school, FaceTime calls with friends, helping her mom with groceries, sitting on the porch when the weather was good. She loved to cook, especially pasta. “That girl could make Alfredo from scratch,” her cousin Talia remembered. “She’d say, ‘Talia, you need to learn how to do more than microwave!’”
Meeyah’s laughter could fill a room. She wasn’t known to hang with trouble, nor was she known to seek it. She was, by all accounts, a good kid caught in the wrong place at the wrong time. That fact is both devastating—and tragically common.
The Shooting: A Precise Attack
According to initial reports by the Chicago Police Department, the shooting occurred around 10:53 p.m. on Friday, July 4. Witnesses say a man approached the victims on foot and opened fire with little warning before fleeing into the night. Multiple shell casings were found at the scene. The suspect has not been identified.
Investigators from Area Two Detectives are leading the case. As of Saturday afternoon, no arrests had been made, no charges filed, and no motive released. Police have not publicly stated whether Meeyah or the man she was with were the intended targets, or whether they were simply victims of a broader dispute.
What is known is that the gunman acted deliberately. Surveillance footage from nearby cameras is being reviewed. Detectives are canvassing the neighborhood for witnesses. Community members say they heard at least five shots.
Violence on the South Side: A Systemic Crisis
Meeyah Smith’s death fits a deeply troubling pattern in Chicago—one where young Black children and teenagers are routinely caught in the crossfire of gun violence. In 2024, at least 50 minors were killed by gunfire in Chicago. Many of those deaths occurred on the South and West Sides, in neighborhoods like Englewood, Roseland, and Chatham.
Chatham, a historically Black neighborhood once known for its middle-class stability and proud homeownership, has in recent years become a flashpoint for concerns over public safety. In the last five years, shootings have spiked, fueled by gang rivalries, illegal firearms, and a deteriorating relationship between residents and law enforcement.
For those who live there, the violence is neither new nor surprising—but it remains deeply painful. “We’re losing our babies,” said Pastor Alvin Reeves of a nearby church. “And we keep lighting candles, and hugging mamas, and nobody in power is listening.”
Meeyah’s Family: Grief and Outrage
Meeyah’s mother, who has asked not to be named for privacy, is inconsolable. “I just want my baby back,” she said through tears in a phone call Saturday. “She was supposed to be inside. But she said she wanted to get some air. She just wanted to sit on the steps.”
That simple decision—a breath of summer air on the Fourth of July—was the last one Meeyah ever made.
The family is now planning a funeral they never imagined. Friends have started a fundraiser to help cover burial costs. Local schools have begun preparing grief counselors for students who knew her.
“She always said she wanted to do something that helped people,” her aunt recalled. “And now she’s gone. And we’re all just broken.”
Who Was the Intended Target?
Police have not confirmed whether Meeyah was the intended target of the shooting. But community members have theories. Some say the 35-year-old man who was with her may have been the shooter’s actual focus. Others fear it may have been a gang retaliation or mistaken identity. At this point, everything remains speculation.
The lack of answers only deepens the community’s frustration. “It feels like they don’t even care,” said one neighbor who witnessed the aftermath. “A little girl got shot in the throat, and all we get is a statement and some tape around the block.”
A Legacy Cut Short
The tragedy of Meeyah Smith’s death lies not just in its violence, but in its erasure. A young woman with promise—a nurse in the making, a family helper, a quiet light—has been erased from the world by the pull of a trigger.
Her friends are trying to hold on to the small things: the texts left unread, the laughs during lunch breaks, the plans for homecoming. “She was the one who made everything feel okay,” said a close friend who asked not to be named. “She’d always say, ‘Girl, breathe. We’ll get through this.’ Now she’s gone, and I don’t know how to breathe.”
Community Response: Mourning and Demands
By Saturday morning, a small memorial began forming on the steps where Meeyah was shot. Teddy bears. A balloon that reads “Rest in Peace.” A sign with her name in pink and purple glitter. Strangers stopped and stared. Some prayed. Others wept.
Local youth leaders are calling for a march in Meeyah’s name. Activists have demanded more police presence, while others say what’s needed is deeper investment—jobs, schools, mental health services, gun control legislation. The debate is fierce. But the grief is shared.
“We’ve been here too many times,” said community organizer Jaylin Ford. “They take our kids, and the city acts like it’s weather. But this ain’t a storm. This is policy. This is poverty. This is abandonment.”
The Investigation: Still No Arrests
As of Sunday morning, Chicago police have not made any arrests. Area Two detectives remain on the case. Authorities urge anyone with information to come forward. Tips can be submitted anonymously through Crime Stoppers.
Surveillance footage from several angles is being reviewed. Detectives are hoping to identify the suspect by gait, clothing, or facial features. Some residents have criticized the slow progress, but police say cases involving minors are particularly sensitive.
Still, the family wants answers. And so does the city.
The City Reacts: Calls for Action
Mayor Brandon Johnson issued a brief statement acknowledging Meeyah’s death, saying, “Our hearts break for the family of this young girl. We cannot normalize the loss of life to gun violence. We must do more—together.”
Critics say the city’s response has become formulaic: thoughts and prayers, followed by silence. “We’re tired of candlelight and hashtags,” said community advocate Tiffany Green. “We want laws. We want investment. We want to feel safe walking down our own damn streets.”
Chicago’s Office of Gun Violence Prevention says it will increase street outreach in Chatham. But residents are skeptical. “They come after the shooting,” one resident said. “What about before?”
A Life Remembered
Meeyah Smith’s story could have been different. She could have gone to nursing school. She could have made her family proud. She could have held her own children someday. Instead, her life ended on a patch of concrete beneath a city skyline that keeps failing its youngest.
There will be vigils. There will be hashtags. But what Meeyah really needed was protection—before, not after.
Moving Forward
In the coming days, Meeyah’s family will bury their daughter. The city will move on to the next tragedy. But those who loved her will carry this loss forever. A 16-year-old girl with a big heart and a bright future, taken by violence she didn’t ask for.
Her story is not over—not if we remember her, speak her name, and change the conditions that allowed her death to happen.