KANSAS CITY, MO (KCTV) -
A stray bullet took the life of 11-year-old Blair Shanahan Lane as she frolicked at a Fourth of July party, and her mother is determined to ensure the men responsible do their time.
Michele DeMoss is pushing the Missouri General Assembly to make it a felony to discharge a weapon inside city limits. Previous efforts to get the bill passed have failed since Blair died in 2011.
Aaron Sullivan owned the gun used to fire the bullet that traveled from an apartment complex across a lake in east Kansas City to the yard where Blair, family members and friends were celebrating the holiday. The bullet struck Blair in the neck.
Sullivan was sentenced to three years in prison, and has repeatedly maintained his remorse. Because investigators could not determine who fired the fatal shot, 3 men with Sullivan only faced municipal charges.
Steven Redmond, Bernard Moore and Marveon Skinner were sentenced to 180 days in jail. They were able to avoid jail time by completing probation, which required 120 hours of community service.
Redmond was in court Tuesday, and DeMoss was there.
"I'm here out of respect and responsibility for my child," she said.
A judge found that Redmond is complying with the terms of his probation and working on meeting his community service requirements.
Redmond also expressed remorse to Blair's mother.
"I discharged the firearm, and it's very unfortunate the way it went down," he said. "I have apologized. I talked to her. We embraced one another with a hug."
But Moore has not completed any hours of community service. He is due in court in September, and a judge could order him to jail.
Skinner has skipped court appearances, and missed his sentencing.
DeMoss doesn't want her daughter's death to be in vain.
She urges gun owners to use their weapons responsibly. She said common sense is needed.
"I just miss Blair," she said. "Blair should have started eighth grade last Wednesday. There's a lot of things she should have started."
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