APARTMENT SHOOTING: Family mourns 9-year-old's death - News

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Jun. 14, 2009
Copyright © Las Vegas Review-Journal

APARTMENT SHOOTING: Family mourns 9-year-old's death

Father doesn't expect neighbors to step forward, name shooter

By LAWRENCE MOWER
LAS VEGAS REVIEW-JOURNAL

Raji Kaur, left, cries in front of the North Las Vegas apartment where her 9-year-old daughter, Savannah, was killed in a hail of gunfire. Behind her is Savannah's father, Will Bullins, who was home at the time.
Photo by John Locher

Will Bullins, the father of 9-year-old Savannah Bullins, rubs his face in front of his North Las Vegas apartment on Saturday. Savannah Bullins was killed by gunfire late Friday night.
Photo by John Locher

Savannah Bullins
Girl, 9, shot to death Friday night in North Las Vegas

Late Friday night, Will Bullins opened the screen door on his two-story apartment and walked onto the balcony to get some air.

In the living room, just a few feet away, two of his daughters were watching TV and playing on the couch.

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The older one, 9-year-old Savannah, had arrived the day before from California with her mother, who was leaving her there for the summer.

Savannah was excited. She had just won first place in her school science fair.

As Bullins looked out into the temperate desert night, he saw a man jump out from around the corner of the building across the parking lot.

Bullins squinted. The man seemed to be looking up at him.

The man raised a gun with two hands.

And fired.

As he whirled around and ran inside his living room, Bullins immediately looked to his daughters.

Savannah had been hit, but was moving toward the stairs, at the front of the house and away from the line of fire.

Her sister, with her 2-year-old legs, was not moving as fast.

Because they weren't close to each other, Bullins could grab only one at a time.

"One of them is in danger and the other one is hurt," he said. "That's a real (expletive)-up decision to have to make."

He scooped up the 2-year-old and placed her in the stairway and out of danger.

He went back for Savannah, who had fallen and was bleeding.

As he ran downstairs with her, his mind was racing. All he could think about was how to save her. He thought the best thing to do was to lay her down.

Once on her back, the bleeding became worse. He covered her heart with his hand as she stopped breathing.

His wife, Kimberly Bullins, performed CPR.

"She said, 'Baby, I got her breathing again. I got her breathing,'" he said. "It was like a load off my shoulders. It was like hope."

An ambulance arrived several minutes later and took Savannah to University Medical Center.

An hour later, as he stood talking to North Las Vegas police, an officer came up to him.

"There is no easy way to tell you this. ..."

He was expecting to hear that his daughter was going to be OK. Will Bullins screamed, "Why?"

"What did I do to you?" he shouted into the night. "I'll (expletive) kill him! Why?"

• • •

Bullins, 29, moved to the apartment complex at 2112 Sun Ave., near Civic Center Drive and Cheyenne Avenue, 12 days ago with his wife and children.

The neighborhood wasn't great.

"I don't let any of the kids play outside," his wife, Kimberly Bullins, said Saturday. "Trying to protect them, you know."

Will Bullins said he had seen people in the neighborhood -- young men and boys -- glaring at him from time to time. They'd walk by, look over at him, get on their cell phones.

They knew he had a house full of kids, he said.

As he stood outside the apartment Saturday afternoon, he stared grimly at a group of people across the street.

He returned to the apartment with his wife and 33-year-old Raji Kaur, his ex-wife who is Savannah's mother, to get some belongings.

North Las Vegas police officers stood at a distance as he loaded his car with clothes, suitcases and whatever else he could fit.

"They know who it was. They know who did it," he said of the people across the street. "They just won't say anything."

Bullins said he doesn't know why somebody would want to shoot at him, but it was clear that from the numerous bullet holes in the side of his apartment -- still labeled "A" through "J" by police -- that the gunman was determined.

Police have not released any information on a suspect or suspects. Bullins said he is certain it's someone in the neighborhood.

But he's not confident that the killer will be caught, because he doesn't believe anybody will come forward with information.

"They just stand around saying, 'I don't know nothing,'" he said. "I don't call myself a snitch or anything; but if it's babies and kids involved, if you know something, come forward."

Kaur had been crying so much that by Saturday afternoon tears wouldn't fall from her eyes.

"They didn't take my daughter," Kaur said. "They took my life."

Her daughter loved cooking. Loved the beach in the Venice area of Los Angeles, where she grew up. Loved helping around the house.

"She was mature for her age. She was a loving, caring person. I always called her my angel," Kaur said.

A year and a half ago, Bullins was "blessed with a son."

After his wife was giving birth, a doctor came up to talk to him. The doctor said a bunch of stuff he can't remember.

What he does remember is the doctor saying, "Your son is dead."

There was a problem during delivery.

Bullins thought that was the worst he would ever feel. But it wasn't.

"It seems like every time life takes a swing at you, it's just a little bit harder than the time before."

Contact reporter Lawrence Mower at lmower @reviewjournal.com or 702-383-0440.

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Please enter your name Name: Please enter your email Email: Please enter a comment COMMENTS : (word count limit is 300) You have reached the maximum number of words allowed Current Word Count: Note: Comments made by reporters and editors of the Las Vegas Review-Journal are presented with a yellow background. Raji Karr (Savannah's Mother) wrote on July 26, 2009 03:42 PM: Today is Savannah's Birthday. She would have been 10 years old today. Regardless of why these people did this or did not do it, the point that they should confess and face the consequences of what they have done still remains. Stop trying to figure out why they did it and pray that the Mr. Ried turns himself in and they both confess. Finally, if you still talk to this guy, then tell him to do what is right by my daughter. Thank You ashely wrote on June 30, 2009 07:50 AM: i am so sorry that your child had died. i wont to tell you that the guy wo had shot your little girl was my cusin. i so sorry kristen hooks wrote on June 22, 2009 07:15 PM: Savannah was in my daughter's 2nd grade class at Westminster Elementary in Venice Beach. I still remember helping her with her hair and costume for the Halloween parade. The most recent was at her sister's baseball game, against my son's team. My daughter looked forward to hanging out with her. She also got to hold my 3 month old daughter too. She was a wonderful young lady. Savannah will be surely missed. We are glad we had the chance to know her. Forever in our hearts. Kristen, Skylar, Jacob, & Nevaeh Desiree Fernandez and April Lagrassa wrote on June 17, 2009 05:37 PM: Savannah was a very nice girl.She would always help people out when they were upset or sad.We feel bad that her life was cut short.I hope nothing bad happens to Britanny.R.I.P Savannah.We'll miss you! ='( ricki wrote on June 16, 2009 08:07 PM: im sorry savannah died she hade a whole life ahead of her.i know it is hard because she did not have any insurence. alexandra amador wrote on June 16, 2009 03:57 PM: She was a very nice girl and just the other day she shared her sandwich with everyone. I will miss her very much. friend of hers wrote on June 16, 2009 03:33 PM: i will miss her so bad she was a verry nice fourth grader i mean very every1 in my schol knows her and misses her mr.b will miss her also and there was no winners in the science fair rest in peace little one we will miss u and hoped u wouldnt have gone 2 vegas i remember hours b4 she died she wass happy eating her subway sandwhich ms.edith gave her and being in the library but no one knew she was going to die hours later please come back but what is sad is that she died on a trip to see her dad which she loves and stayed in vegas and didnt come back to school and she didnt come or even graduate 4th grade because there was 5 more days and her 2nd grade sister Brittney must be sad too Savannah everyone in broadway will miss u friend of hers wrote on June 16, 2009 03:30 PM: i will miss her so bad she was a verry nice fourth grader i mean very every1 in my schol knows her and misses her mr.b will miss her also and there was no winners in the science fair rest in peace little one we will miss u and hoped u wouldnt have gone 2 vegas i remember hours b4 she died she wass happy eating her subway sandwhich ms.edith gave her and being in the library but no one knew she was going to die hours later please come back but what is sad is that she died on a trip to see her dad which she loves and stayed in vegas and didnt come back to school and she didnt come or even graduate 4th grade because there was 5 more days melissa nava wrote on June 16, 2009 09:22 AM: savanah was a very kind person when i would to be sad she would always make my day. I miss savanah she was a very helpful person if some one was hurt she would go and help them. Savanah was a really cool person why would anyone want to harm her Alana Armstead wrote on June 15, 2009 05:18 PM: Hello, I live up stairs from savannah she was the nicest little girl... she was so thoughtful and caring for other people.I send my love out to her family.I remeber when i did her hair so she can go out the next morning with her little sister and mother , with her pretty red dress. Raji, Me and my family will keep you in our prayers and be strong for brittany. -love always lana and Family- Read All Comments