Chicago orphan shot by man who says he killed her because she hurled water at McDonald’s employee

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A 17 year-old orphan was shot and killed by a 19 year-old who allegedly targeted her for hurling water over staff at a Chicago McDonald’s.

Tierra Franklin was gunned down outside the fast food joint in the Little Village area of the Windy City Friday.

Suspect Anthony Heredia, 19, says he’d been summoned there by an unidentified friend, who asked him to take revenge on Franklin for hurling water.

It’s unclear who asked Heredia to get back at Franklin, and what prompted the alleged water-throwing incident.

It took place at a drive-thru window during what cops say was an ‘ongoing dispute.’ 

Heredia allegedly shot at Franklin twice while passing on a bike, striking her once in the back.

The teenager, who wanted to be a lawyer when she grew up, was rushed to St Anthony’s Hospital, where she was pronounced dead. 

Tierra Franklin, 17, was shot in the back around 3 p.m. on Friday outside the fast food joint in the Chicago neighborhood of Little Village

Tierra Franklin, 17, was shot in the back around 3 p.m. on Friday outside the fast food joint in the Chicago neighborhood of Little Village

Tierra was an aspiring lawyer, who would have started her senior year of high school this fall

Tierra was an aspiring lawyer, who would have started her senior year of high school this fall

Anthony Heredia, 19, allegedly shot and killed Tierra Franklin,17, after the girl reportedly hurled a cup of water at an employee during an ongoing dispute, authorities said

Anthony Heredia, 19, allegedly shot and killed Tierra Franklin,17, after the girl reportedly hurled a cup of water at an employee during an ongoing dispute, authorities said

Franklin, who was in the care of DCFS, had just lost her mother to cancer in April and her father to gun violence when she was a child. Pictured: A quilt made in honor of Franklin's mother Keeyana Sanderson is pictured above, with Sanderson seen center

Franklin, who was in the care of DCFS, had just lost her mother to cancer in April and her father to gun violence when she was a child. Pictured: A quilt made in honor of Franklin’s mother Keeyana Sanderson is pictured above, with Sanderson seen center

Sanderson died of cancer in April, around 12 years after Tierra's father was shot dead in a gun murder

Sanderson died of cancer in April, around 12 years after Tierra’s father was shot dead in a gun murder 

Friday’s shooting came as 35 were shot and five – including Franklin – died across the city during the initial part of the July 4 holiday weekend.

And the schoolgirl’s brutal killing marks the latest tragedy for her family, which has been blighted by a series of dreadful tragedies.

In April this year, Tierra’s mother Keeyana Sanderson died of cancer. Her father – who has not been named – was shot and killed around 12 years ago, when Tierra was just five. 

Further details on the circumstances surrounding that murder have not been disclosed, but DailyMail.com has contacted a relative for comment.  

A Chicago man charged with murder in the fatal shooting of a 17-year-old orphan allegedly told investigators that he shot the girl because he saw her throw water at a McDonald’s employee in an incident at the start of the holiday weekend. 

Anthony Heredia, 19, allegedly shot and killed Tierra Franklin around 3 p.m. on Friday outside the fast food joint in the Chicago neighborhood of Little Village.

At Heredia’s bond hearing on Sunday, Cook County prosecutors said Franklin, of the 3700 block of West Cermak Road, had allegedly thrown a cup of water at an employee through the drive-thru window during an ongoing dispute. 

Heredia was arrested on Friday following the shooting after multiple employees at the McDonald’s identified him as being at the restaurant immediately before the shooting.

He also could allegedly be seen on surveillance video retrieving a spent casing from the scene, prosecutors said. When Heredia was arrested a short time later at his home, the spent casing was found in his pocket, prosecutors said. 

Heredia allegedly told investigators that some of the McDonald’s employees called him to come to the restaurant after they recognized Franklin and members of her family from an altercation that happened the prior week. 

Prosecutors said that when Heredia arrived at the McDonald’s on Friday, employees told him everything was fine so he waited in the parking lot. 

The shooting happened around 3 p.m. on Friday outside a McDonald¿s in the 4300 block of West 26th Street, in Little Village, a neighborhood in Chicago

The shooting happened around 3 p.m. on Friday outside a McDonald’s in the 4300 block of West 26th Street, in Little Village, a neighborhood in Chicago

He then spotted Franklin walking up to the drive-thru window and watched as she allegedly threw a cup of water at an employee. Heredia then pulled out a gun and fired two shots at Franklin, killing her, prosecutors said.

Family members told ABC7 that Franklin was headed into her senior year at Curie High School and dreamed of becoming a lawyer. Franklin, who was in the care of DCFS, had just lost her mother to cancer in April and her father to gun violence when she was a child. 

The relationship between Franklin and Heredia is not known. 

Heredia had been living with foster parents under the supervision of the Illinois Department of Children and Family Services, his attorney, Assistant Public Defender Courtney Smallwood, said during the hearing on Sunday. 

He was supposed to begin his senior year at private school Country Club Hills Tech and Trade in the fall.   

Heredia pleaded guilty in January to reckless discharge of a firearm in connection to a 2021 incident. He was sentenced to two years in prison, but was released in March with credit for time served. 

Heredia told the court Sunday, ‘I just want to apologize to the victim’s family.’

Circuit Judge Susana Ortiz noted at the hearing  that Heredia was able to acquire a gun at the age of 19.

‘I will note here that we have a 19-year-old who can obtain firearms more readily that he can obtain a pack of cigarettes,’ Ortiz said. ‘That’s something we may want to look at.’ 

Heredia was ordered to be held without bond. 

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