BERKELEY COUNTY, S.C.—Sunday will mark exactly 90 days since Kendra Morgan-Stevens lost her daughter to gun violence. For this grieving mother, what hurts more than losing a daughter much too soon is knowing that whoever pulled the trigger and ended her life has not been brought to justice.
“It’s very frustrating to know that the people who killed my daughter is still walking around the streets and not even having a conscience to say, ‘I feel guilty,’” stated Morgan-Stevens. “They’re out there roaming the streets and don’t have not a care in the world, and that’s very unfortunate.”
On June 7, her daughter, Ariel Morgan, 19, attended a block party with approximately 800 other people along the 300-block of Tish Lane in the Long Ridge community of the county. According to deputies, at some point during the event, shots rang out. Multiple people were hit by bullets. Ariel was among the victims. She was transported to MUSC in Charleston where she was later pronounced dead at 2:45 a.m.
“Ariel was a happy, young lady. She was fun. She enjoyed life. She went to Francis Marion University. Her dream was to become a pediatric nurse. She was a daughter, a sister, a granddaughter, a niece, a girlfriend and a friend to a lot of people,” stated the victim’s mother.
Because there were so many people at the party, deputies know that somebody saw something. The only problem, however, is no one is willing to talk.
“They were brave enough to shoot the gun at the party. They should be brave enough to go to the Berkeley Co. Sheriff’s Office and turn themselves in,” stated Morgan-Stevens.
Investigators believe the shooting was gang-related. As a result, Morgan-Stevens says detectives have now sought the assistance of the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division.
“Ariel didn’t live the life of the streets. She lived the life of a young lady who had a future ahead of her. She didn’t run the streets, robbing banks or anything like that, so that ‘street code’ shouldn’t apply to her,” said Morgan-Stevens.
To encourage people to come forward and provide information to investigators, Morgan-Stevens will host an event on September 13 called “An Evening of Awareness.” The event will take place at 4132 Rivers Avenue and will include dinner, music and guest speaker, Rep. Wendell Gilliard.
“Someone knows something, so hopefully this event and the money that I raise will prompt someone to want to speak up and help put those people in jail,” she said. “Ariel didn’t deserve to die.”
If you have any information on this murder, you’re urged to contact Crimestoppers at (843) 554-1111. Remember, you can remain anonymous and qualify for a cash reward.
You can also contact the Berkeley Co. Sheriff’s Office at (843) 719-4465.
Morgan-Stevens hopes to raise $3,000 from the Saturday event. However, for those who are unable to attend the event, donations can be donated online at GoFundMe.com. To donate, simply click on this link.
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