Six-year-old A'Narria James is a confident little girl with a powerful but simple message: "Please don't shoot anymore."
James spoke exclusively with NewsChannel 8 on Monday, marking one year since she lost her mom to gun violence.
"She was the best mother ever because she would take me wherever I want to go," she said.
OSBI said an argument broke out at a Memorial Day festival in Taft last May.
Gunfire erupted, injuring eight people and killing James' 39-year-old mother, Sherika Bowler.
"I've been missing her a lot," said James. "I would just cry for her, shout for her, and it's just really hurtful to see her gone."
Authorities named Skyler Bucker, Gervorise Warrior, Kendall Alexander, and Keshaun Jackson as suspects in the shooting, charging the men with one count of first-degree murder and eight counts of shooting with intent to kill.
Paulette Bowler, who is raising James, said it's even more hurtful to know the four men were released on bond.
A judge dropped Alexander and Jackson's cases in March 2023.
"It's not justice being done," said Paulette. "And I feel like they're a threat to society.”
James hopes sharing her voice will help another little girl from going through the same heartache.
"People doesn't know how it feels without a mother, without a mother having a daughter," she said. "Because if you shoot a mother, that's going to be really hurtful because then the daughter doesn't have a mother, then the auntie does have a sister and that is really bad.”
Bowler's family unveiled a memorial honoring Sherika in the heart of Taft.