Young Louisville Mother Shot Dead While Walking Daughter to Bus Stop, Suspect Still at Large

Redaja Williams, 23, died on Wednesday around 8 am in the Russell neighborhood of the Kentucky city

A 23-year-old mother was killed in front of her daughter and dozens of schoolchildren while walking to a bus stop in Louisville, Kentucky, sparking community outrage and a desperate search for the gunman.

Redaja Williams was fatally shot around 8 a.m. on Wednesday in the Russell neighborhood as she escorted her young child to a nearby school bus stop. The area contains several bus stops, a YMCA, and two schools, and witnesses said numerous children watched in shock as she collapsed to the ground.

The suspect, who police say is a black man who was wearing a red sweatshirt and black sweatpants, is still at large

First responders arrived quickly and transported Williams to the hospital, where she was pronounced dead. Her daughter was not injured in the shooting.

Louisville Metro Police Chief Paul Humphrey condemned the violence, emphasizing that residents should not have to fear for their lives while taking their children to school and waiting at bus stops.

Authorities described the suspect as a Black man wearing a red sweatshirt and black sweatpants and confirmed that he remains at large.

Friends and family described Williams, a mother of two children aged two and seven, as a loving and kind-hearted parent. Her sister Lavett, who was present during the attack, said she watched helplessly as her sister took her final breath. Their grandfather, Bruce Simmons, remembered Williams as an outgoing young woman who deeply cared for her family.

Williams had two young children, a two and a seven-year-old

Family members said Williams was affectionately nicknamed “Juicy,” but emphasized that her real name, Redaja Williams, should be remembered and spoken aloud.

Local leaders expressed sorrow for the community, noting that the tragedy follows another bus stop shooting just one week earlier. On August 7, two 15-year-olds exchanged gunfire at a bus stop on the first day of school in the same neighborhood, traumatizing nearby students.

Authorities arrested two teenagers in connection with that earlier incident, charging them with multiple offenses. One of the teens was taken into custody shortly after Williams’ shooting, but investigators determined he was only involved in the earlier incident and not responsible for Williams’ death.

Community members and officials called for stronger cooperation between residents and law enforcement to help prevent future violence, warning that repeated tragedies are damaging the fabric of the neighborhood.