CLEARWATER, Fla. — A 25-year-old mother died after a shooting at a Clearwater apartment complex on Sunday night.
Clearwater Police and Clearwater Fire & Rescue arrived at an apartment complex on Fairwood Avenue after receiving calls about the shooting around 6:30 p.m.
Officials said Nicolshia Washington, 25, died at Mease Countryside Hospital. Her daughter, seven, is currently at All Children's Hospital in St. Petersburg.
"Put the guns down, senseless killing, unnecessary. If you got that much anger with each other, get in the boxing ring, take it to the match," said the victim's aunt, Chyna Mills.
Mills said her family will have to explain to her niece's 7-year-old that her mother did not make it.
"She's been asking, so we going to have to do the tough role and tell her that she's no longer here. Nobody should leave this earth at 25," said Mills.
According to a press release, the shooting occurred during a confrontation inside the apartment between Washington's current boyfriend, Stacy Cross, and former boyfriend, Lavaris Delapierre, while Delapierre dropped off her daughter. Both men fired shots that ended up hitting the two victims.
Detectives said they spoke to Cross and Delapierre turned himself in on Monday. Clearwater Police said Delapierre is being charged with felony murder, armed burglary, and felon in possession of a firearm. He is being booked into the Pinellas County jail.
The victim's family told ABC Action News the 7-year-old girl is expected to be released from the hospital very soon. The family also started a GoFundMe page for her.
