Ashuntice Wilburn had dreams of becoming a dental hygienist. The 17-year-old was just two days from returning to school for her senior year in high school when her her life came to a violent end. The Westmont teen was shot to death in Galewood Park Saturday.
Ashuntice was one of 38 people shot this past weekend, seven of them fatally. So far in 2023, there have been 430 homicides and 2,035 shooting victims.
“She helped me with all kinds of activities,” said her grandmother, Patty Ringo. “She volunteered in the community, she was an exceptional person, an exceptional individual.”
Ashuntice volunteered with her grandmother at Greater St. John Bible Church in Austin, where Rev. Ira Acree serves as the senior pastor.
“My dear member’s 17-year-old granddaughter got gunned down like a dog!!! This is UNACCEPTABLE! When in the hell will we as a community demand that this genocide stop?!” Acree wrote on his Facebook page. “The groans and screams from the parents and grandparents who just lost a loved one is unbearable! STOP THE MADNESS!!”
David Cherry, president of The Leaders Network, said: “Once again, the outrage of this out-of-control gun violence falls upon the families and their pastors. They are the ones on the frontlines in our communities.
“Where is the outrage, where is the sense of urgency from our political leaders and everyone else in our city, county and state to stand up and do whatever it takes to end these senseless killings?” Cherry asked.
Ashuntice’s family will join with faith and community leaders at 5 p.m. Aug. 23 at Galewood Park, 5729 W. Bloomingdale Ave., to demand justice for her murder. There can be no rest until these murderers are removed from the streets and removed from our communities.
No arrest has been made in Ashuntice’s killing. A 16-year-old boy also was injured, according to the Chicago Sun-Times.