CINCINNATI -- There's a renewed push to find the people who shot and killed a 9-year-old girl in Mount Auburn and wounded her dad last week.
Marchers were out for the third time Monday urging any witnesses to come forward.
And the reward in the case was raised to the highest amount Crime Stoppers will offer. Mayor John Cranley and Council member Christopher Smitherman are raising $1,500 to increase the reward to $2,500 for tips in the death of Alexandrea Thompson.
The community is outraged about Thompson’s death.
"We're not going to let this go under the bridge anymore," said Mitchell Morris of the Phoenix Program. "We're going to stand up against this for as long as we have to because so many mothers so many families have lost so many people to gun violence."
Thompson and her 39-year-old father were shot in a home on Jan. 18. Thompson died the next day. Three people were seen going into the home where the victims were found and later ran away, police said, but there is still no suspect information.
"The young girl, she hadn't done anything. She was basically put in a hostage situation," said Rev. Peterson Mingo of the Cincinnati Human Relations Commission. "Those individuals responsible need to be brought to justice as soon as possible."
City leaders have urged people to come forward with information. The Cincinnati Police Department has been pushing its program, Cincinnati Citizens Respect our Witnesses (CCROW), in the hopes of convincing witnesses to cooperate.
“Cincinnati police are working ceaselessly to bring those responsible for this murder to justice,” Cranley said in a statement. “I urge anyone who has information to come forward so our police can get this perpetrator off the streets. At a time when there is very little that can bring this family comfort, I ask that our City join me in praying for Alexandrea and her family.”
Smitherman, chair of the Law and Public Safety committee, said in the statement “to all those involved in the murder of nine-year-old Alexandrea Thompson that we will find you and bring you to justice.”
Anyone with information is asked to call Crime Stoppers at 513-352-3040.
