Man convicted of shooting 8-year-old girl at Detroit gas station

DETROIT (WJBK) - A 21-year-old man will spend the next 13 years in prison for the shooting of an 8-year-old girl at a gas station in Detroit.

Damond Reeves was sentenced Friday for the shooting of 8-year-old Kaya back in March. 

Before the shooting, he said that 'it was about to go down' if he didn't get a cigarette. At the gas station at that moment of Kaya and her mom, Keri Philson.

Keri said she ran to her daughter and wrapped her arm to try to stop the bleeding.

"I got to her and her arm was bloody," she said. "She was screaming in the back." 

Kaya was sitting in the backseat when the bullets started flying. 

Reeves apologized in court but it didn't stop him from being convicted of assault with intent to commit murder. 

"This was a Helter Skelter intentional act. It was cold blooded and placed people who were unaware of what they were about to drive into, on the firing line," judge Kelly Ramsey said.

Keri said she's glad justice is served as Reeves was sent to 13 to 27 years in prison.

Kaya has recovered and is back to being a child.

"It's a recovery process but she's doing a whole lot better," Keri said.

Reeves' deal with prosecutors also means he's convicted of a felony firearms charge and carrying with unlawful intent.