A 9-year-old girl was killed and her 14-year-old sister critically wounded during a drive-by shooting in Flint’s Mott Park neighborhood early Friday morning, May 8, 2026. Police responded around 2:07 a.m. to the 2500 block of Altoona Street at the corner of Fremont Street.
Officers found Tyhari Knox dead inside the residence from gunshot wounds. Her older sister was transported to a hospital with critical injuries. Two adults and another child inside the home were not hurt.
The attack involved an extraordinary amount of gunfire. Investigators recovered at least 99 shell casings at the scene and estimated that more than 200 rounds were fired into the home. Bullets penetrated windows, doors, walls, and even the roof. The surviving sister was later treated and released from the hospital in good condition. The sheer volume of gunfire has horrified the community.
Flint Police Chief Terence Green described the incident as a targeted drive-by shooting at the specific residence. Investigators believe the home was deliberately chosen, though no motive has been publicly disclosed. The Altoona Street location near Fremont in northwest Flint is a residential area within the Mott Park neighborhood. Neighbors have expressed outrage over the targeting of a home containing young children.
A vigil was held in Mott Park to honor Tyhari’s short life and to support her grieving family. Officials have issued strong statements emphasizing that violence against children must end. The Flint Police Department has made the case a top priority. As of May 11, 2026, no suspects have been identified or arrested.
The Flint Police Department is urgently seeking information from the public. Anyone with details is asked to contact Detective Perry at 810-237-6915. Anonymous tips can be submitted to Crime Stoppers at 1-800-422-JAIL (5245), through the P3 Tips app, or at CrimeStoppersofFlint.com.
The investigation remains active and ongoing. Limited additional details have been released. The deaths of Tyhari Knox and the injury to her sister have united parts of the Flint community in calls for justice and an end to gun violence affecting innocent children. Family, friends, and residents continue to mourn while hoping for swift arrests in the case.
