LOUISVILLE, Ky. — New developments in the investigation into the early morning drive-by shooting that killed an Eastern High School student on Wednesday. Louisville clergy are offering a $10,000 for information about those involved.
The victim has been identified by relatives as 16-year-old Tyree Smith. The SUV Louisville Police believe is connected to the shooting was found by St. Matthews Police. Police found the Jeep early Thursday morning at the Jamestown Apartment complex, 10 miles away from where the shooting happened. According to St Matthews police the vehicle was found on fire but responding officers put it out unassisted.
During a Thursday afternoon news conference Louisville Metro Police Chief Erika Shields confirmed it was the vehicle her department was looking for.
“The Jeep had been stolen before the shooting. It is now being processed by our homicide unit and I.D. technicians," Chief Shields told reporters.
Shields says the tips have been coming in and police need more.
“And we are pursuing several leads. Some of which are a direct result of the aforementioned tips so I can’t say enough about the community’s involved.”
Thursday Pastor Cory Shull of Burnett Avenue Baptist Church announced a $10,000 award is now available.
“A few clergy persons throughout this city who have raised money to provide a reward for the tip that leads to the arrest and conviction of the person who perpetuated this tragedy," Pastor Shull said.
"The least this community can do is to make sure that our children can get into these buildings safely. We hope that by providing this reward it inspires members of our community with knowledge of the incident that happened yesterday morning to come forward with all speediness," Pastor Shull said.
“There are people who know [who] shot and killed him yesterday and those individuals and those individuals need to step forward and the space that we’re operating in of not snitching and not cooperating with police when homicides occur has got to end.”
Chief Shields added, "And I would say to those individuals whether you're the parent of the child, a friend of the shooter, I don't know, whatever your relationship is and you know who committed yesterday's homicide you need, you need to step forward."
The LMPD anonymous tip line is (502) 574-5673.