A grieving family is calling for justice after their 10-year-old daughter was shot and killed in what police are calling a road rage incident.
Phoenix police announced Friday that they had arrested 20-year-old Joshua Gonzalez on one count of first degree murder and three counts of aggravated assault.
Dharquintium and Taniesha Brown said in an interview on Friday that they were driving home from picking up their daughters at the Boys and Girls Club when the incident happened.
Dharquintium Brown said the white pickup followed closely on his bumper all the way to the family’s home, even after he tapped his brakes.
“I didn’t say one word to him the whole trip except when I got out of the car and said, ‘What’s up,’” Dharquintium Brown said of his interactions with the driver accused of fatally shooting 10-year-old Summer Mellody Bell.
Taniesha Brown says she and the driver looked at each other after they both got out of their cars.
“I got out of the car at the same time as he did and I looked directly in his eyes. We made eye contact and within three seconds that’s when he fired off several shots,” Taniesha Brown said.
Dharquintium said he didn’t realize his daughter had been shot right away. Then he saw the gunshot wound.
“She leaned forward and she looked at me and I told her, ‘baby…,” Dharquintium cut off, obviously emotional.
Taneisha Brown says she “just wants justice” for Summer. “I pray that he spends the rest of his life in jail and this eats at him slowly. And that he is tormented by this.”
She said her daughter was precious to them and would be remembered by many people.
“There’s no forgiveness for that,” said Taniesha Brown.
Dharquintium said it doesn’t matter to him whether Gonzalez is found guilty or not.
“It’s not going to bring my daughter back. It don’t even matter to me…it’s not going to make me feel better. It’s not going to make me feel worse,” Dharquintium Brown said.
He said walking into Summer’s room and seeing all the things she loved reminds him of what he lost.
“It doesn’t matter who killed her," he said. "She’s gone. She’s never coming back to make me smile again. To motivate me. To love me. She’s not coming back.”
An official GoFundMe fundraiser has been created to assist the family with funeral expenses and financial strain they will face during this time, you can click here to find it.