Rapper Charged in Killing of Girl After Targeting Wrong Apartment

An aspiring rapper has been charged in the shooting death of a little girl in Dallas, Texas, on Wednesday after he targeted the wrong apartment.

Tyrese Simmons, 19, whose rapper name is ‘Lul Reese,’ opened fire outside the Roseland Townhomes in Old East Dallas on Wednesday night where he mistakenly thought the man he was feuding with lived.

Authorities said the nine-year-old, Brandoniya Bennett, was sitting on her couch after having her nails done when she was shot in the head. Bennett had no connection to the alleged gunman or his rival, both of whom are suspected to be gang members.

Reports said that police performed CPR on the little girl, who was then taken to Baylor University Medical Center. However, she died soon after.

Dallas Police Major Danny Williams said both men had recorded rap songs that “dissed” each other. “That was the impetus that resulted in a homicide of a nine-year-old girl.”

On Thursday, Simmons turned himself in to police after he was named as a suspect in the little girl’s death, according to NBC 5.

Simmons was charged with capital murder and his bail set at $500,000.

“There’s no way in the world you can tell me that this is the way we’re supposed to live, and we’re supposed to accept the things that happened to this 9-year-old girl yesterday,” Williams said during a press conference held on Thursday.

Maurice Ash, a father and community activist, said he was sad because his own daughter will never get to know Bennett as a friend.

“When one family hurts, we all hurt. The whole community hurts. The saddest thing is that my daughter will never be able to get to know this young girl,” he commented, adding “This will never happen because her life was cut down, cut short because of senseless gun violence.”

A GoFundMe page set up by Earlyshia Thomas to raise money for the grieving family has so far raised $31,040 of its $10,000 goal.

“Brandoniya Bennett was nine years old when her journey begun. We may never understand the why, but we know God is a comforter and He keeps us at our lowest moments,” the page stated.

“Please join me in helping to raise funds for this mother who will lay her nine year old daughter to rest due to senseless gun violence,” the website’s text concluded.