Update: Dwyane Wade broke his silence on Donald Trump’s tweet following the shooting death of his cousin, Nykea Aldridge, in an interview with Good Morning America on Friday.
“It’s just a bad taste in my mouth,” he said. “Because of what my family is dealing with and what our city of Chicago is dealing with. And it looks like it’s being used as a political gain.” He said that he was grateful that it had started a conversation, but was conflicted about his family’s tragedy being used as political leverage.
The day after the shooting, the Republican presidential candidate tweeted that the shooting was proof that the Black American community should vote for him.
Dwyane Wade's cousin was just shot and killed walking her baby in Chicago. Just what I have been saying. African-Americans will VOTE TRUMP!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) August 27, 2016
Trump later tweeted his condolences to Wade's family.
Update: August 28, 2016, 12:10 p.m. Chicago police say two siblings, 26-year-old Darwin Sorrells Jr. and 22-year-old Derren Sorrells, have been charged in the shooting of Nykea Aldridge, The Guardian reports. Chicago PD is currently investigating if the shooting between the two men was part of a robbery, possibly of a driver from a ridesharing company.
This story was originally published on August 28, 2016.
Nykea Aldridge, cousin of NBA star Dwyane Wade, was shot and killed in Chicago on Friday afternoon, the Chicago Sun-Times reports. A bystander victim of gun violence, bullets fatally struck Aldridge's arm and head while she was pushing her baby in a stroller on their way to enroll her older children in school, the Chicago police department have determined. A 32-year-old mother of four, Aldridge wasn't part of the altercation that led to the sidewalk shooting, the police confirmed.
In a series of tweets, Dwyane Wade, who grew up in Chicago, expressed his grief and called on the local community to stand up against gun violence for the sake of children, like his second cousins.
My cousin was killed today in Chicago. Another act of senseless gun violence. 4 kids lost their mom for NO REASON. Unreal. #EnoughIsEnough
— DWade (@DwyaneWade) August 27, 2016
RIP Nykea Aldridge... #EnoughIsEnough
— DWade (@DwyaneWade) August 27, 2016
The city of Chicago is hurting. We need more help& more hands on deck. Not for me and my family but for the future of our world. The YOUTH!
— DWade (@DwyaneWade) August 27, 2016
These young kids are screaming for help!!! #EnoughIsEnough
— DWade (@DwyaneWade) August 27, 2016
The Chicago Bulls also issued an official statement expressing their condolence's for Wade and his family.
On Thursday, Wade and his mother, Jolinda Wade, participated in an ESPN town hall addressing violence in Chicago. Chicago Magazine reported that in his interview, Wade addressed talking to his sons about dealing with police officers and their fear of encountering police violence on account of their skin color.
“The problem goes back to the Great Migration. We adopted that mentality of, ‘it’s about me surviving,’” Wade said. “And we’re still like that today.”
Aldridge's sister was also a victim of gun violence. Aldridge's baby, who was in the stroller when the shooting occurred, wasn't injured and is being cared for by a relative.
"We're still going to help empower people like the one who senselessly shot my niece in the head," Jolinda Wade told WGN-TV reporters.
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