SEATTLE — Essence Greene-Madden had just turned 20 years old and was the youngest of eight children. Her parents are now mourning her loss.
“Did I think that my daughter that went out to have a good time with her friends would not be coming home? That we would never see her again? My beautiful baby who loved everybody is gone,” her mom, Tina Madden said.
Tina and Eldon Madden say their daughter was out with friends Sunday at the Capitol Hill Block Party. Late that night their daughter was hit and killed by a stray bullet, and three other people were wounded. Essence died in the hospital three days later.
“She was never the one to turn her back on anybody. She was always the one who said ‘Okay look, this is where we go from here',’” Eldon said.
The deadly shooting happened on one of the busiest weekends Seattle has seen – several major events spread police resources thin.
On Wednesday, the department released dash cam video of what officers encountered just two hours before the shooting.
“When we say that we met resistance. I think that leaves a lot to the imagination. I think when you see the video and you see the defiance and the aggression towards police officers and the willingness to jump on top of hoods of police cars and jump up and down and throw metal items,” Seattle Police Deputy Chief Eric Barton said.
As of Thursday night, police have no shooter in custody and have yet to announce if they have a suspect.
Essence's family says they are hopeful for closure.
“We’re praying that there is, that’s all we can do,” Tina said. “Gun violence has to end, people need to be held accountable, it’s not okay. It’s not okay."
"I'll never get over this," Tina said. "Never."