Tech Writer
Reign Ware, a vibrant 5-year-old girl, was known for her love of dancing and tumbling. Her mother, Raven Adams, affectionately called her the “TikTok queen” due to her passion for dancing across the living room floor or at family gatherings. Reign’s joyful spirit and enthusiasm for life were infectious, and she had dreams of starting kindergarten and enrolling in gymnastics classes.
Tragically, Reign’s life was cut short when she was shot and killed while sitting in a car with her father around 3:30 a.m. on Sunday in the 200 block of South Campbell Avenue. The family was leaving a birthday party when a black Jeep Cherokee pulled up, and someone inside began firing shots. Reign was killed, and a 24-year-old man, who the family did not know, was wounded in the left thigh.
According to a police report, nearly 60 shell casings of four different calibers were found at the scene, and investigators believe others may have also fired shots from a nearby alleyway. No arrests have been made in connection with the shooting.
Reign’s mother, Raven Adams, described her daughter as “smart,” “joyful,” and “full of life.” She loved to swim on family trips to local pools and the Wisconsin Dells. Adams had planned to enroll Reign in gymnastics classes once she “got bigger” to prevent her from getting hurt.
The family is now grappling with the loss of their beloved Reign while also trying to shield her 9-year-old sister from the cruel rumors circulating about the shooting. Reign’s grandmother, who wished to remain anonymous for fear of retaliation, said, “People are so cruel these days. … We try to remain calm and wrap our arms around each other.”
Raven Adams is pleading for the shooters to come forward and turn themselves in, saying, “I just want justice for my baby. The violence just has to stop, how long is this going to go on? Until everybody kills everybody? Just let people live.”
Reign Ware is one of at least eight children who have been killed in Chicago so far this year, a tragic reminder of the ongoing violence that plagues the city and the innocent lives lost as a result.
