Janelle Monae puts on a stunning performance at Summer Spirit Festival. | Photos by Zenarfoto.
A 37 year-old woman killed in a Kansas City, Kansas drive-by shooting early Tuesday turned out to be Janelle Monae's cousin.
In a report from KMBC 9 News the cousin, Natasha Hays, was asleep with her three children when the shots were fired into her home. Hays was slain by the shots but her three children were unharmed.
According to The Kansas City Star, Hays was working as a caregiver in Kansas City, trying to provide for her three teenagers.
"She was a hard working mother of three," said Marco McElwee, who is married to a cousin of Hays. "She did not deserve this. She did not deserve to be in the predicament she is in right now — for us to be in the predicament that we are in now."
"She spent the majority of her time helping somebody else, and she ended up in a helpless situation," McElwee also added. "The community lost a good citizen, a good person."
"Gun violence has struck home. My beautiful first cousin was murdered. She was a mother of 3. Loved by her community. #NatashaHays #Sayhername," Monae tweeted upon discovering the news. "Gun violence is still keeping our city in a dark place. The fear of, 'Who is next?' never leaves. Praying4more light. Help us."
"Nobody deserves to lose their mother, sister, cousin, friend, etc. to the hands of evil. Evil has no race," Monae also tweeted.
No suspects have been arrested in connection to the shooting.
Our condolences go out to Janelle Monae and her family during this time.
