Shooting of girl gang-related, police report

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) -- The fatal shooting of an 11-year-old girl who was struck by a stray bullet as she did schoolwork inside her home was probably gang-related, Chief Robert Olson said Monday.

Police were looking for a sport utility vehicle that was seen in the south Minneapolis neighborhood around the time Tyesha Edwards was shot Friday afternoon. A bullet pierced the wall of Tyesha's duplex and struck her in the chest.

Police believe the girl's family wasn't the intended target of the shooters, Olson said.

Mayor R.T. Rybak and his family spent time with the girl's family Sunday, watching a Minnesota Vikings game and talking at Rybak's home for a momentary diversion from the tragedy.

"We were just sitting there and taking our minds off of everything -- enjoying ourselves like we did before this happened," said Leonard Winborn, Tyesha's stepfather.

Said Rybak: "This was just an opportunity for them to take a break and to try to have a slice of normalcy in the middle of a fairly unspeakable couple of days.

"I tried to tell them that a whole city wants to tell them how sorry we are and they are not going through this alone."

Homicide investigators have been following some strong leads, but no arrests had been made as of Monday. Olson said the vehicle was a new model, red or dark maroon with red, white and blue license plates believed to be from another state.

The Powderhorn Park Association donated $500 to kick off the Tyesha Edwards College Scholarship Fund for a 6th-, 7th- or 8th-grade girl at Banneker School interested in math, science or engineering.

The scholarship will be administered by Minneapolis public schools.

Anyone with information can call (612) 673-2733.

On the Net

Scholarship information: http://www.achieveminneapolis.org