Violence Changes Everything”: 15-Year-Old Memphis Girl Shares Powerful Message After Surviving Gunshot to the Face

Violence Changes Everything”: 15-Year-Old Memphis Girl Shares Powerful Message After Surviving Gunshot to the Face

MEMPHIS, Tenn. – July 29, 2025 — A quiet evening among friends turned into a life-altering tragedy for Kennedy Gilmore, a 15-year-old Memphis teen, who is now recovering after being shot in the jaw in what her family describes as a devastating act of negligence and carelessness with a deadly weapon.

Though she cannot speak due to her jaw being wired shut, Kennedy still found a way to share her voice — writing a heartbreaking message about how the shooting has shattered not only her body but also the rhythm of her young life.

💔 A Night That Changed Everything

The shooting occurred on Thursday, July 24, at a home on Letrec Cove in the Frayser area of Memphis. According to Memphis Police, Kennedy was spending time with friends when 22-year-old Lorenzo Davis, reportedly present in the home, placed a handgun on a bed. Moments later, the firearm discharged, striking Kennedy directly in the jaw.

Police say Davis fled the scene after the shooting. He was later identified and charged with:

• Aggravated assault

• Reckless endangerment with a deadly weapon

• Child abuse and neglect

• Providing a handgun to a juvenile

Davis also had outstanding warrants at the time — including charges for possessing a weapon on school property and failing to appear in court.

👩‍⚕️ Recovery and Silent Resilience

Kennedy’s injuries are extensive. The bullet shattered her jaw, forcing doctors to wire it shut during surgery. She now faces weeks — if not months — of recovery, during which she cannot speak, eat solid food, or return to school.

Her aunt and legal guardian, Candace Pegues, described the moment she received the call no family member ever wants to hear:

“The initial phone call I received was, ‘Kennedy has been shot in the face,’” she recalled.

Candace raced to the hospital, overwhelmed and terrified. The image of her niece’s face—bloodied, broken, and silenced—will never leave her.

“Her jaw was completely shattered by the bullet,” she told FOX13. “She’ll miss school, her teams, and everything she worked so hard to prepare for.”

🏀 From Athlete to Survivor

Before the shooting, Kennedy was more than just a typical teenager. She was an athlete, a team captain, a role model.

“She’s been playing basketball since middle school. She’s the captain of the basketball team,” Pegues said. “She’s also involved in softball, volleyball, track — whatever sport you name.”

Kennedy had big plans for the upcoming school year. She was focused on leadership, academics, and building her future. But now, those plans are on hold, disrupted by a moment of carelessness and the reckless presence of a deadly weapon in the wrong hands.

✍️ A Message That Demands to Be Heard

While she recovers in near silence, Kennedy still wanted to speak — and her words, delivered through writing and read aloud by her aunt, resonate louder than any scream:

“Getting shot has changed my life. I can’t eat solid food, and I can’t speak, and I’m in constant pain. I didn’t ask for this, but now I have to live with it for the rest of my life. I want people to understand that violence affects more than the moment — it changes everything.”

It’s a message that should haunt and motivate a city already burdened by youth gun violence.

🚔 Seeking Justice, Demanding Accountability

Lorenzo Davis was arrested several days later at a Taco Bell on Knight Arnold Road, where he was taken into custody without incident. His arrest, while critical, is only the first step toward justice, Kennedy’s family says.

“An arrest isn’t the end,” Pegues emphasized. “Kennedy still has to heal, emotionally and physically. And our community has to look at how we let this happen.”

🔁 The Bigger Picture: Guns, Youth, and Responsibility

Kennedy’s story is not an isolated one. Memphis continues to grapple with the consequences of gun access, particularly among young people. The number of shootings involving teenagers has been rising, and many are tied to unsecured firearms left in homes or vehicles — or provided illegally to minors.

In Kennedy’s case, the tragedy is not just the gun going off — it’s the layers of irresponsibility, from an adult failing to secure a firearm to fleeing the scene instead of helping.

🕯️ Closing Thoughts: A Voice That Refuses to Be Silenced

Though she cannot speak, Kennedy Gilmore has found a way to be heard. Her written message is both a cry for understanding and a warning to others — that violence doesn’t end when the gun goes off. It echoes in hospital rooms, in homes missing loved ones, and in dreams put on pause.

Her family hopes the community hears her loud and clear.

“She’s a fighter,” her aunt says. “But no child should have to fight through this.”

As Kennedy recovers, the city of Memphis — and those who care about its future — must listen to what she has endured, and take steps to ensure that no other teen has to speak through wires and pain just to say, “Violence changes everything.”