Syracuse, N.Y. — "Exceptional. Stellar. Incredible."
These are just three ways Syracuse Police Chief Joe Cecile described Brexialee Torres-Ortiz, an 11-year-old girl killed while returning home after buying a gallon of milk from a corner store.
Brexialee was heading home at 7:43 p.m. along Oakwood Avenue Monday when someone opened fire, hitting her in the midsection. She died at Upstate University Hospital.
She was class president of her class at Blodgett Middle School. Cecile said he spoke with the principal of Blodgett Middle School and an administrative assistant to share who Brexialee was during a news conference held Tuesday.
She was referred to as the “hall monitor” of her class because she always uplifted her classmates, he said.
“Always giving them value,” Cecile said, “and pushing them to succeed.”
Brexialee had “high honors” and also was very involved with the school dance program, he said.
“Most of all, they spoke about her humanity toward others, how much she cared about others and showed it every day,” he said.
Mayor Ben Walsh said, “We lost a special little lady last night.” On Monday night, Walsh called her murder senseless and brutal.
“She walks down the block to get milk for her family. She did nothing wrong,” Walsh said. “And now we’ve lost her.”
During the news conference, Cecile also shared new details about the investigation. He said police have found no connection between Isael Cruz -- a 19-year-old shot in the leg -- and Brexialee.
“This little 11-year-old girl had nothing to do with what went on there, other than the fact that she was walking home and got caught, got caught in the crossfire,” Cecile said.
Cecile confirmed Brexialee lived less than a block away from the food store where she picked up the gallon of milk. The milk carton lay spilled just 250 feet away from the store.
Cecile said multiple people were in the car that pulled up before at least one person opened fire. Police have still not released any information about the suspect vehicle or the suspects. Police did identify a suspect vehicle through surveillance footage.
Police have not confirmed whether Cruz was the target of the shooting. On Monday night, Cecile speculated that this was a targeted attack.
When asked why Cruz was taken to the hospital in a private vehicle before police arrived and Brexialee was still at the scene, Cecile said they would have to ask the people who dropped him off.
Cecile said he believes the people that drove Cruz would almost certainly have seen that Brexialee was injured too.
