2nd girl shot in head in weekend South Side shooting dies

CHICAGO (WLS) -- Kanari Gentry-Bowers, 12, the second pre-teen girl who was struck by a stray bullet in separate shootings Saturday, died Wednesday, a source said.

Dawn Valenti, a community activist in contact with the family, said Kanari died at 3:38 p.m. in Stroger Hospital.

The family released a statement following her death:

"Kanari Gentry Bowers passed away this afternoon. We are appreciative of all of the thoughts and prayers we have received in the past several days.

Please keep your children close and do whatever it takes to protect them from the senseless gun violence in our city."

Kanari was playing basketball outside Henderson Elementary School in the 1900-block of West 57th Street in Chicago's West Englewood neighborhood around 7:15 p.m. Saturday when she was shot by a stray bullet.

The school where she was playing is located right in the middle of a turf war involving several gangs on both sides of Garfield Avenue.

Kanari's family was outraged.

"They're not doing anything but holding guns and protecting a city block that's not theirs. You've got to think about what I just said. A city block. Not your block. Not their block. You live in the city. So protect your city," Djuan Donald, the girl's uncle, said.

Shortly after Kanari was shot, 11-year-old Takiya Holmes was also struck by a stray bullet. She died on Tuesday. Antwon Jones, 19, has been charged with her murder and is being held without bond.