PINE BLUFF, Ark. — Two teenagers are dead after a weekend of gun violence in Pine Bluff.
The Pine Bluff Police Department responded to 17th and Hazel on Sunday evening after reports of shots fired. They found an 18 and 17-year-old in the front yard of a house a block over, and the 17-year-old died from their injuries.
Inside the home, officers found a 14-year-old, later identified as Vaniya Bennett. Her aunt, Rachel Will said the past 24 hours have been a nightmare.
"The thing that really kills me is she's gone, and she ain't coming back," Will said.
Will described her relationship with Vaniya as more than just her niece—she treated Vaniya as more than that.
"I was real close to her, I'd do anything for that little girl," Will said. "Every time I thought about her, I always made sure I bought her something because she was special to me."
PBPD officials explained ho youth violence isn't new for the city and that there have been several cases since the start of the year.
"I have a child, I have a daughter, and I can only imagine how heartbroken I would be if this happened to my child," Lieutenant David DeFoor said.
DeFoor also said they've tried different programs to try and stop the trends, but it's difficult.
"We do lots of stuff with the kids," he said, speaking to their National Night Out program. "But, I mean, you can't predict the ill will of one person against another."
Pine Bluff Mayor Shirley Washington said she's also frustrated by the trends.
"It's even harder the younger they are," she said. "Because life is cut short far too soon."
Last month, city leaders went to Philadelphia to find anything and everything they could bring back to help solve youth violence in the city. Mayor Washington said what stood out to her was everyone in the communities they visited was dedicated to stopping this.
"It's something that can't be done by the police department by itself, we have to have families, churches, everybody involved and committed," Washington added.
Will is hoping for that as well. She said parents need to step up to mentor kids.
"It's a lot of people out here still trying to be their kid's friends, and they need to stop," Will said. "Look at what we're having, is too many kids being buried."
Anyone with information about this homicide is asked to call the detective office tip line at (870) 730-2106.
This marks Pine Bluff's 13th and 14th homicides of the year.