VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. - The mother of a young Norfolk woman killed at the Virginia Beach Oceanfront addressed City Council Monday.
29-year-old Deshayla Harris was struck and killed by a stray bullet in the 300 block of 19th Street at the Virginia Beach Oceanfront on March 26, 2021. Her death happened before the fatal officer-involved shooting of Donovon Lynch.
Nearly a year later and her murder is still unsolved.
Deshayla's mother spoke to City Council Monday asking for a memorial in her daughter's honor to become permanent. Elisheba Harris said support from the city would help her and her family heal.
"This is the hardest thing I ever had to do in my life is get up every day and know my child is not coming home.. I will never talk to her again so this means a lot to me. When I go here it makes me smile. It takes away some of the pain," Elisheba said.
After the mother spoke, Mayor Bobby Dyer told her family that he had met with mayors across Hampton Roads. He says they plan to start a youth violence task force and with her permission, he would like to name the task force after Deshayla Harris.
Police released photos of several potential witnesses to the incident, but no one has been charged in Harris' death.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives is offering up to $10,000for information on the person or people responsible for her death.
