DETROIT – Thursday would have been the 18th birthday for a girl who was shot by a speeding driver while leaving a family party on Detroit's west side.
Jada Rankin was leaving the party on Oct. 16, 2016, when the driver came barreling down Ardmore Street, police said. Her brother yelled at the driver to slow down, and the driver got out of the car and fired shots, striking Rankin, according to authorities.
She died at just 15 years old, and her family is still searching for justice.
"Jada would just be so excited," a family member said. "Today is her birthday, and all I have is memories."
Since Rankin's death, police have released a sketch of the man they believe might have been responsible for the shooting.
"She was honest," a family member said. "She was pure. She was my baby. She was perfect."
Detroit City Council members renamed a playground in Rankin's honor this year to help keep her memory alive.
"I'm going to see you," a family member said of the shooter. "I'm going to look you in your face and you're going to look in my face and he's going to tell me why."