Baltimore Police: We Don't Know Who Killed McKenzie Elliott

BALTIMORE (WJZ) -- Baltimore police say they aren't giving up on finding the person responsible for the death of a three-year-old girl, shot and killed outside her home over the summer. A man thought to have been involved in the shooting is now out of jail while the real shooter walks the streets.

Rochelle Ritchie spoke with Baltimore police who explain why charges were never filed.

The man was taken into custody on outstanding warrants. He was identified as the person who shot the little girl but after a substantial investigation, that was found not to be the case.

Who shot three-year-old McKenzie Elliott? It's a question that has been left unanswered for months and some say many never be solved.

"Nobody wants to lose their kids or their loved one so no one is going to talk," said one woman.

McKenzie Elliott was shot and killed while playing outside of her home on Waverly Road on August 1---165 days ago today---after a gunfight broke out. At the time of her murder, Police Commissioner Anthony Batts promised an arrest would come swiftly.

"The person responsible, we will bring them to justice by the end of this week," he said.

An arrest did eventually come, but in October, the man dubbed a person of interest in the murder was released. On the radio Tuesday, Police Commissioner Anthony Batts talked about the case, saying, "We were on the hunt for the person almost immediately who we believed was responsible and we ended up arresting him."

Captain Eric Kowalcyzk said information they received identified the man as the shooter but there was not enough evidence to prove it and file charges.

"The individual that was arrested was legitimately arrested on a violation of probation warrant so there was every right to take him into custody," he said. "We were given information in the beginning that led us to this individual and it turned out not to be him."

Anthony Lipford, McKenzie's father, was holding on to faith someone would help put the murderer behind bars.

"I know for sure somebody saw something," he said. "Somebody is going to speak up."

But months later, no one has come forward with information leading to the arrest. Police say they do have new leads but need the public's help in identifying the killer.

Two other people were injured during the shooting and survived.

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