ROCHESTER, N.Y. (WROC) — A family member of one of the victims in Monday night’s shooting is speaking out.

Police say a 12-year-old girl and a 16-year-old girl were each shot in the lower body, and a 20-year-old man was shot at least once in the upper body. Mayor Evans confirmed that one of the victims is affiliated with the City of Rochester. All three were taken to the hospital and treated for non-life-threatening injuries.

Keonna Junious is the mother of 12-year-old Nea Miah Wilson, who was shot during a vigil that night.

They were gathering to remember and celebrate the life of Jeremiah Baker — a 17-year-old who lost his life on William Warfield Drive in June of 2022.

Junious said they were in the middle of prayer, when shots rang out.

“When that happened, I had to instruct my girls to run, they don’t know what’s going on,” she said.

Junious said the three victims are expected to recover. For Nea, she said it will be a painful journey. 

“When Nea Miah was on her pain meds, she looked at me and said, ‘Mom, we didn’t sing happy birthday,'” said Junious. “So in the middle of her CT scan we were singing happy birthday to Jeremiah.”

Junious said Jeremiah was also her nephew; and this most recent tragedy is another trauma on top of that.

“It’s pure evil, is what it is,” she said. “And she didn’t want to die. My daughter said that to me at least 100 times last night. ‘Mom I don’t want to die, mom please don’t let me die.’ And I had to tell her ‘baby I’m not going to let you die.'”

Junious said Nea is currently on pain medication, recovering at the hospital, and working to move her legs again. Her next step will be crutches.

Junious said Nea is among the top of her class and on high-honor roll, and excels in her Spanish class.

“The police asked me last night, does Nea have anything — I said, ‘No. She doesn’t have anything to do with it, she’s 12-years-old.'”