1 of 2 girls shot in head in separate Chicago shootings dies, relative says

CHICAGO -- An 11-year-old girl, who was one of two pre-teen girls was shot in the head in Chicago over the weekend, died Tuesday morning, according to Andrew Holmes, a relative and anti-violence activist.

Takiya Holmes was shot around 7:40 p.m. Saturday, while sitting in her family's minivan with her mother and younger brother in the 6500-block of South King Drive in the city's Parkway Gardens neighborhood. She was transported to Comer Children's Hospital, where she died Tuesday morning.

About 25 minutes earlier, 12-year-old Kanari Gentry-Bowers was struck by a stray bullet while playing basketball outside Henderson Elementary School in the 1900-block of West 57th Street in Chicago's West Englewood neighborhood. She is listed in critical condition at Stroger Hospital.

"Her and this other little girl got shot within 30 minutes of each other. When I found that out, I said, I was sending up prayers for her too. Both of them need prayer," said Patsy Holmes, Takiya's grandmother.

Community members hoped a call for action will help stem the violence. Many gathered Monday night at the scene of the tragic shootings.

A $2,000 reward was offered for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the person who killed Takiya.