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Woman Sought After Teenager Killed In Richmond Shooting

RICHMOND (KCBS) – Police were searching for a woman suspected of shooting and killing a teenage boy outside of a Richmond apartment complex on Tuesday night.

Melinda Leketia Gaffney, 30, is wanted on a $1 million arrest warrant in connection with the murder of 16-year-old Terrance Forks, Richmond police Sgt. Nicole Abetkov said.

Abetkov said Gaffney and Forks were apparently fighting before she allegedly shot him in front of the Crescent Park Apartments in the 3900 block of Fleming Avenue.

Officers responded to the area after receiving an alert from the city's ShotSpotter activation system and a 911 call about a fight and a possible shot fired at the same location, according to police.

Police arriving on the scene found Forks suffering from a gunshot wound. He died at the scene.

Teenager Killed In Shooting In Richmond

Additional units were called in from the San Pablo and El Cerrito police departments, after a large, unruly crowd gathered at the site of the shooting, the Crescent Park Apartments on Hartnett Avenue.

"We were able to calm the crowd and move them back safely," Richmond Police Lt. Ron Carmichael said. "During that time, we were able to cultivate some information."

Officers learned that the teenage victim had been fighting with a woman in her 20s, later identified as Gaffney, just before he was shot.  Abetkov said investigators do not believe the pair was romantically involved but knew each other prior to the shooting.

The motive has not been determined.

Gaffney reportedly fled the scene in a white four-door Lexus sedan with California license plate 5RLD637. Police have since recovered the car but the suspect remained at large as of 4:30 p.m., Abetkov said.

Anyone with information about the killing is asked to call Richmond police at (510) 233-1214 or the anonymous tip line at (510) 232-TIPS.

The Richmond Police Department is offering a $10,000 reward for information leading to the suspect's arrest.

 

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