Answers still sought in Montgomery mother’s fatal shooting

MONTGOMERY, Ala. (WSFA) - Erica June was busy. She was a mother with seven kids total, ages four to 22. On Oct. 25, 2022, after a full day of errands, Erica pulled into her driveway on 4th Street. She was sitting in her car to decompress for a minute when there were gunshots.

“She was in the wrong place at the wrong time. She just happened to be sitting in her car,” Erica’s mother, Patricia June said.

Patricia recalls one of her life-changing when one of her grandchildren called her with a chilling message. A phone call, she said, she will never forget.

“I received a call from kids saying ‘grandma, mama’s been shot in the neck, she’s been shot’,” Patricia said.

Erica was shot while in her car in her driveway in North Montgomery. Her children heard the gunshots and quickly ran outside. Patricia June said one of her grandchildren grabbed napkins and paper towels to try to stop the bleeding, but Erica June did not survive.

“I said I got to do something, I got to do something. I got to do more than something,” Patricia said.

Patricia immediately jumped into action after her daughter’s death, taking care of all seven of her grandchildren. They were all traumatized; the bloody scene, the detectives, and the fear of the unknown.

No one knows who shot Erica June. Patricia said she didn’t have any enemies and believes someone was shooting in the area and that Erica wasn’t the target.

“A lot of crime, a lot of gangs in North Montgomery. We got good parts of North Montgomery, and we got the bad. There are too many youth offenders out here and too many teenagers walking around with weapons like they’re going to war. It’s a problem, but I’m also making it my problem…making sure our community is safe and making sure no one forgets Erica,” Patricia said.

Part of that is making sure Erica’s children never forget their mother. Patricia tries to talk to them about happier times with their mother.

“I have recordings of her voice, so I let them hear her voice to remember her,” Patricia said. “I also talk about her a lot. Erica’s spirit was always to lift people up. She helped a lot of people. I want to help people too.”

One way she wants to help people is by making sure those who live in North Montgomery have a safe place to gather and eat. In March 2023, she opened her restaurant “Trish Ann and Big Ash”, on the north side of town. “Big Ash” was Erica’s nickname and “Trish Ann” is short for Patricia Ann June.

Patricia signed the lease on Dec. 13th, 2022 on what would’ve been Erica’s 36th birthday. She’s focused on her restaurant, her grandchildren are thriving in therapy.

Meanwhile, investigators are working to find out who shot and killed the Montgomery mother right outside of her home.

“I want to leave something for my grandchildren, I want to create generational wealth for them…along with recovering emotionally, it’s a lot financially with seven kids,” Patricia added.

If you have any information on the shooting death of Erica June, you’re asked to call Crimestoppers at 215-STOP.

Not reading this story on the WSFA News App? Get news alerts FASTER and FREE in the Apple App Store and the Google Play Store!

Copyright 2023 WSFA. All rights reserved.