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The family of a woman and baby killed in a police shooting Nov. 7 in Independence spoke out Tuesday about the incident.
Officers were sent to the Oval Springs Apartments near Larkspur Lane and Missouri Highway 291 on reports of a domestic disturbance.
“I ran out of tears” said Talisa Coombs, the baby's grandmother. “I cry. I cry even at night, missing my granddaughter.”
Destinii Hope was two months old.
Coombs said Destinii’s mom, Maria, struggled with her emotional health.
The Missouri’s Division of Family Services was aware of the Destinii's situation.
Coombs went to check on Maria and Destinii after Maria missed a child protective service meeting the night before the incident.
“The CPS asked me to go up there and check on her and see how everything was going,” said Coombs.
Coombs called police after she said Maria assaulted her.
“When the cops asked me, 'Do they have weapons, I said no,"' Coombs said. “They do not have no weapons at all. Then they asked me if I wanted to press charges on Maria and I said yes.”
Police later said an officer fired his weapon. Maria and her baby died at the scene.
Investigators have not said what led to the shooting or how Maria and her baby died.
"We just want answers,” said Coombs. “Why, why did they do that. What provoked them to shoot.”
A GoFund Me has been created to help pay for Destinii’s funeral service.
The family is holding vigil at Oval Spring Apartments where the incident happened at 7 p.m. Friday.
