And as the search continues for the killer of Anjanea Williams', her family and other members of the community are left to wonder whether more police on the street that day may have saved her life.
No one will ever be able to prove a direct link between the layoffs of police and the murder of 20-year-old Anjanea Williams, but her family members tell Action News that they fear there will be even more killing, if police patrols aren't beefed back up.
"She was 20 years old, innocent, no kids," said Kiyanna Ridley.
To know her was to love her, that's how Kiyanna Ridley describes her cousin Anjanea Williams.
"Her smile and everything tells it all. She was just so loveable," said Ridley.
But yesterday at around 2 o'clock in the afternoon, her young life was cut short when authorities say Williams walked into a hail of bullets coming out of a food shop near Broadway and Ferry.
"I guess she noticed the gunshots because they were coming direct, she tried to run to get away from the bullet, by the time she ran she must've already been hit," said Ridley.
Williams died hours later at Cooper hospital. Police say at this point she was just an innocent bystander.
Her murder is the first to be reported in the city two days since 168 Camden police officers were laid off.
"It was broad day light at 1:00 o'clock in a school zone at that. What if that was a kid, a three year old, four year old or a 10 year old? This hit somebody's home, and they hit it hard," said Ridley.
On Thursday, police also got reports of shots fired in East Camden, and arrested a man after he attempted to rob the PNC Bank on Mt. Ephraim.
Williams' family and friends believe word of the layoffs has translated into a free for all for criminals.
"They're not doing nothing to help us, and whose going to protect us now that the cops got laid off?" asked Latanya Gaines.
Robert Corrales from the Mayor's Office says as they continue to try to find a solution with the FOP, public safety remains the top priority. He says the police department has assured city leaders that 92% of the force will be on the ground, and in the streets, protecting the people.
