NEW ORLEANS — A freshman who attended Warren Easton High School was shot and killed this weekend while at a girls' sleepover.
A 19-year-old has been arrested, but the family still has a lot of questions about what happened.
Kennedi Belton was 15 years old.
"Kennedi laughed all day, smiled all day," said her best friend, Sejal Muhammad.
Belton and Muhammad were best friends since birth as their mothers were also best friends.
"God gave me a best friend since the day my heart started beating," Muhammad said.
The two were ecstatic to finally attend high school together at Warren Easton Charter High School.
"Her favorite subject was English. She loved to write," Muhammad said.
Muhammad said they went to a girls' sleepover this weekend in the Little Woods community, around the 800 block of Curran Boulevard. Muhammad left early Sunday for volleyball practice and then got a call around 1:40 p.m. Sunday.
"They called me and said Kennedi is shot," she said.
New Orleans police said they responded to a shooting on Curran Boulevard. Belton died at the scene.
"We're 15. Like, they took my best friend. We didn't get to do nothing. We didn't have our sweet 16s, we didn't graduate, we didn't go to college, I hate it," Muhammad said through tears.
The NOPD arrested Andre Skinner, 19. He was charged with negligent homicide which is the unintentional killing of someone by acting carelessly. Muhammad said she doesn't know him.
Belton's family is also trying to learn exactly who he is, but believe he was a relative to someone at the home hosting the sleepover. They still don't know what happened or why he had a gun out.
Muhammad, at 15, didn't think the city's gun violence would hit so close.
"I don't know what we need to do, but at this point it's ridiculous. Like I hate living here, I hate it. Ya'll took my best friend. That was my heart and I can't breathe without her. What are ya'll going to do? I can't do anything, so what is New Orleans going to do because at this point I can't take anymore," Muhammad said.
A balloon release is planned for Kennedi Belton Thursday at 2 p.m. at Warren Easton High School, 3030 Canal St.
Warren Easton Charter High School released the following statement:
"Warren Easton Charter High School is truly heartbroken at the loss of one of our beloved students. This is a tragedy that is felt by our entire community, and we extend our deepest condolences to all those impacted. We will make every effort to help our students, staff and faculty cope with this loss. We have reached out to our families and a group of social workers has been dispatched to our building. Any student in need of additional support can receive counseling to aid them at this time."
Andre Skinner has been charged with negligent homicide and negligent injuring. His bond is set at $60,000.
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