18-Year-Old Woman Charged in Fatal Stabbing of Teen Girl After Fight on Bus

Victim Kaelia Minor, 17, was a high school senior and was captain of the dance team, her mom said

An 18-year-old woman has been charged with stabbing a 17-year-old girl to death Monday night after they fought on a Metrobus in D.C., police say.

Kaelia Minor, 17, was killed as she headed home from dance team rehearsal at Calvin Coolidge High School. She was attacked in the Petworth neighborhood of Northwest D.C., three blocks from home, police said.  

The suspect, Kyla Jones, turned herself in to police and was arrested Tuesday. She was charged with second-degree murder while armed.

Chenna Latta, the victim's cousin, said her family is relieved a suspect has been arrested. 

"We forgive you. But it hurt us. Because at the end of the day, God wants us to forgive," Latta said. "But it hurts so bad."

Minor, of Northwest D.C., was stabbed about 8 p.m. Monday at the intersection of Kansas Avenue and Emerson Street NW, police said. First responders rushed her to a hospital, where she died. 

"It destroyed me," said her mother, Docia Proctor. "It was just me and her, and she's gone." 

Minor was a senior at Calvin Coolidge High, where she was a good student and captain of the dance team, Proctor said. 

"She was beautiful and somebody took her from me," she said through tears.

Police said Minor and Jones knew each other before they argued on the bus.

When they got off, the conflict continued on the street, police said. Then Jones stabbed Minor in the chest, according to police. 

"I don't know what caused this fight. But whatever it was, it wasn't enough for a 17-year-old to be dead," said D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser.

The two young women had an ongoing dispute, sources told News4. 

However, Interim Metropolitan Police Chief Peter Newsham said authorities couldn't speak yet about specifics in the case. 

"Tomorrow when it is presented in court, a lot of that Information will become available," he said Tuesday. 

Minor's family said they are planning to hold a candlelight vigil for her Wednesday at 5 p.m. at Kansas Avenue and Emerson Street.

Minor, who had recently been accepted into college, had "so much potential," neighbor Neil Arp said.

"I just know that she could have really become someone," he said.

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