A 14-year-old girl’s life was cut short in a playground shooting after an altercation with a classmate escalated into violence. The victim, Anaya Zachary, was gunned down, allegedly by a 13-year-old boy who rushed home for a gun and a mask in Baytown, Texas, on March 21.
The dispute between the two teens began earlier that day on the school bus returning from Baytown Junior Middle School, Anaya’s godmother, Sonya Stanford, told the New York Post. Sonya Stanford recalled that despite their disagreements, Anaya never bullied the younger student; the two simply never saw eye to eye.
After the confrontation on the bus, the boy reportedly went home, dressed entirely in black and donning a mask. The boy allegedly took a firearm from his house and returned to the neighbourhood playground, which is located near an apartment complex approximately 25 miles east of downtown Houston. When he arrived at the playground, he reportedly fired several shots.
Stanford said Anaya was shot four times, which the police confirmed. In a chilling statement, Stanford recounted, “He went home, put on all black, put on a mask, and came back. He called my baby’s name and shot her four times.”
A mother at the playground, who was holding her baby, was also shot. The woman was taken to the hospital, where it was confirmed that the wounds she had sustained were not life-threatening. Baytown police arrested the 13-year-old suspect, and he now faces a murder charge. Due to his age, his identity has been withheld.
The grieving godmother noted that Anaya was known for her kindness and impeccable behaviour, saying, “She was a sweet kid, an honour roll student. Never had no problems,” Stanford said.
She also expressed willingness to forgive the boy, whom she said she was not “angry” at. Stanford expressed her disappointment in the boy’s parents, blaming them for not keeping the firearm in a secure location.
Additionally, Baytown Police Chief John Stringer condemned the act, describing it as a “senseless act of violence” and stressing the urgent need for “peaceful conflict resolution.”
