A beloved East Harlem teen was the innocent victim of a coldblooded drive-by shooting early yesterday gunned down as she sat with friends in the courtyard of her mom’s apartment building, sources said.
Cheyenne Baez, 17, collapsed outside 112 E. 128th St., leaving a trail of blood from the playground where she was struck.
The teen, a student at the Urban Assembly School of Business for Young Women, was pronounced dead 25 minutes later at Harlem Hospital.
“She told the friend she was with, ‘I’m cold. I think I was shot,’ “ said Taisha Velez, describing the heartbreaking last words of the popular teen nicknamed “Canela,” Spanish for cinnamon.
Sources said they believe a gunman in a van opened fire into the courtyard where Baez and friends gathered. Witnesses said several other men had snuck into the area through a fence just moments before shots rang out.
“It had something to do with another girl and an old boyfriend-new boyfriend,” a source said. “Cheyenne had nothing to do with it.”
Minutes after the gunfire, a 30-year-old man who had been in the courtyard was found on East 126th Street, a bullet in his thigh, cops said. He was taken to Bellevue Hospital in stable condition.
“Cheyenne was in the wrong place at the wrong time,” said neighbor Nancy Black, 55.
Family and friends described Baez as an ambitious and popular teen who worked at an East 82nd Street Pinkberry store and wanted to become an accountant.
“She wanted to take me to the movies next week,” said grieving mom Lisa Baez, 36.
An innocent life taken away too soon. My prayers go out to the entire Baez Family!
R.I.P Cheyenne
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This child, innocent should not have died, but as long as people drive by and open up and f ire at will, someone will go down as did this child. She’s
will God now and won’t be cold anymore. May God comfort her grieving
family with strength, peace and hope for things like this never happen again. My Love and prayers to you all.
this sort of stuff gets me highly upset, many teens and kids appear to be getting shot by a drive by or just the usual” they where there at the wrong place at the wrong time” that doesnt bring back a child life, what is happening to our community? where is this going to end up? the world isnt goin to be ending on its own. We the people will take this world apart with our own hands and with our own actions.
This Commutiy Is Becoming Worst ; & Worst Everyday ; This Innocent Child Was Not Suppose To Be Dead ; My Prayers , Hopes & Dreams Go Out To Her Loving & Grieving Family ; R.I.P Cheyenne bka Canela ; Bka Chey Butta .
When will this stop you ask? when adults and parents show love for our teens.
When we use our limited money to enroll them in activities. When we provide outlets and entertainment at home. When each one teaches one. When you return to the old values that you so readily like to eschew. When you stop thinking that looking like a gang banger with your pants underneath your behind is cool, When you stop spending precious time locking you hair and all this grooming that has nothing to do with being clean,healthy and spiritual.
When you realize that the police and the ruling class is sick and tired of dealing with black folks and they are not interested in protecting any. When you become politically astute and change behaviors, act like the Americans you are and demonstrate a behavior that shows, pride, decency, keen awareness, nicer mannerisms, and become part of America and stop separating from the mainstream and work to build your communities, towns,cities and country…when you stop complaining about “whites”, when you get out of the crab in the barrel syndrome,when you spend your time in science, artistic pursuits.learning another language, discovering things–using your intellect for the good of ALL. When you stop the war on yourselves.