A case of mistaken identity has reportedly resulted in the death of Na’Kia Crawford. It was on Sunday (June 14) when the 18-year-old was driving her grandmother to the bank in Akron, Ohio.
There was nothing unusual that day as the two women were running errands, that is, until they were stopped at a red light. It was then that a vehicle pulled up next to them and suddenly opened fire, killing the teen. Her grandmother was uninjured.
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Because of the political climate at the time, initially, people believed that the shooting was racially motivated. There wasn’t anything to indicate that the incident evolved from some road rage altercation, so investigators were stumped.
Then, detectives were led to the black Chevrolet Camaro involved in the shooting, which, in turn, caused them to identify three suspects in the case: Adarus Black, Jaion Bivins, and Janisha George. According to reports, George turned herself in to police and is facing charges of obstructing justice. Black was named as the shooter.
Prosecutors Take The Case To Trial
In 2022, the Beacon Journal reported that Bivins and George were charged with obstruction of justice and tampering with evidence. However, charges against the two were later dropped. Although prosecutors reportedly sought to potentially refile the charges at a later date, Bivins was killed in Kentucky.
Meanwhile, George was said to have testified against Black during his trial. She wasn’t in the vehicle during the shooting. Black, who was 17 years old at the time of the crime, evaded authorities for 20 months before a fugitive task force apprehended him. He was eventually found guilty of murder and sentenced to 18 years to life.
A Bright Life Lost
Na’Kia had just graduated high school and was looking forward to pursuing higher education at Central State University. Her family has shared that Na’Kia planned on studying computer science and described her as being a “soft-spoken” and “kind-hearted” person.”
“My niece was very, very caring, loving, and she was smart and beautiful. She did not deserve this,” said Kelly Hardwick, Na’Kia’s aunt.
Please share this story regarding the murder of Na’Kia Crawford to keep her memory alive and to continue the conversation on why it is important to protect black women. She is our sister and her life matters.
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