“We are hurt”: Families of victims speak on Huntsville mass shooting

HUNTSVILLE, Ala. (WAFF) - Two families are facing unimaginable pain after losing their loved ones to senseless gun violence.

A mass shooting occurred at a strip mall near Mastin Drive on Highway 72 around 12:30 a.m. Sunday.

According to Madison County Sheriff Brent Patterson, two people were killed in the shooting. A press release from the sheriff’s office stated 11 people were taken to the hospital with gunshot wounds. Three of those individuals are still in critical condition.

The two people who were killed were Kaitlyn Jenkins, 20, and Quantasia Grant, 20.

“This pain is unbearable, I’m just trying to be strong for the boys,” said Kim Kesha Johnson, Quantasia’s cousin, and godmother.

Johnson said Grant recently moved to Alabama from Florida to kick off her cosmetology career. Many people took to social media to say she was a sweet and kind soul. She says the solution starts with putting the guns down.

“We’ve got to do something as a community for this gun violence to stop,” Johnson said.

Kaitlyn’s cousin, Sylvester Jenkins, said he’s still having a hard time trying to process what happened.

“Her life is lost. No future. No kids, a marriage, a family. All that is gone. For what?” said Jenkins.

Jenkins said the most important thing to do now is to remember the good times.

“We have to continue to live on through them. And remember the joyous occasions, the fun moments, and keep them in our hearts at all times.”

Jenkins was a student at Alabama A&M studying Computer Science with a concentration in Artificial Intelligence, according to one of her Facebook posts.

Alabama A&M University released the following statement regarding her death:

“The Alabama A&M University Family mourns the recent death of Kaitlyn Jenkins, an AAMU student who was one of two, 20-year-old women killed during an off-campus birthday party event held over the weekend. Deepest condolences are extended to the families of both Ms. Jenkins and Ms. Quantasia Grant, as well as the victims injured in what law enforcement officials have defined as “reckless.”

AAMU is extending counseling and other grief services throughout this week for students and other campus personnel seeking to cope with the loss.

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