A Mobile woman is facing a long and uncertain recovery after being struck by a stray bullet outside her home on Rickarby Street while returning from her 51st birthday celebration, and nearly two weeks later, no arrests have been made. Genade Colley was shot in the head in the incident, and city officials say her condition has since taken a serious turn for the worse.
A Celebration Interrupted by Violence
Colley had just come home from marking her birthday with friends when the shooting occurred outside her residence. The bullet that struck her was not fired at her directly, according to city officials, but was a stray round that found her outside her own front door. Mobile’s Public Safety Director, Curtis Graves, has visited Colley regularly since learning of what happened to her, and has spoken publicly about her ongoing struggle.
A Setback in an Already Difficult Recovery
Colley’s medical situation has grown more serious since the initial shooting. She has been readmitted to the hospital after suffering a brain bleed followed by seizures, and doctors have told her family and care team that the seizures are expected to be a permanent effect of her injuries. The shooting came just over a year after Colley had already fought through and recovered from Stage 4 cancer, adding another significant hardship to a year that had already tested her health.
Officials Say Solving the Case Requires the Public’s Help
With the investigation still open nearly two weeks after the shooting, Graves has emphasized that police cannot resolve cases like this without cooperation from residents. He noted that officers can respond to crime and work to deter it in areas where patterns are known, but they cannot anticipate every act of violence before it happens. “The police department can only do what the police department does and that’s respond to crime, deter crime where they know it exists, but they’re not clairvoyant,” Graves said. He added that community members are often aware when tensions or conflicts are escalating toward violence, but that information frequently goes unreported, leaving investigators without the leads they need.
A Pastor’s Call for Reflection
Colley’s pastor, Lester Bell Jr., has pointed to her case as a stark example of how a single reckless decision can ripple outward and cause lasting harm to people who had no part in it. He has urged anyone contemplating violence to think through the consequences, not just for a potential victim, but for their own future as well.
City Leaders Weigh In on Broader Crime Trends
Mobile Mayor Spiro Cheriogotis addressed the shooting as part of a wider conversation about violence in the city, acknowledging that even as overall crime trends have shown improvement, a single act of violence still represents a failure for the community. He pointed to what he described as an erosion of community values and a lack of self-worth among some young people as contributing factors behind ongoing incidents of violent crime in Mobile.
How to Help
Mobile police are asking anyone with information about the shooting on Rickarby Street to come forward. Tips can be submitted directly to the Mobile Police Department or anonymously through Crime Stoppers. Officials say that even small pieces of information from residents can make the difference in moving a stalled investigation forward and holding someone accountable for Colley’s injuries.