Desperate for closure: Loved ones seek answers in death of 74-year-old grandmother killed by 'celebratory gunfire'

74-year-old Paulette Thorpe was killed after being hit by what police believe was 'celebratory gunfire' on the Fourth of July.

Detectives, family and a friend all came together at Durham's police headquarters for a press conference on Wednesday to ask for help.

They said Paulette Thorpe should still be here today. But if she had to go -- they believe her loved ones should at least be able to know who is responsible for her loss.

"She was the sunshine. Paulette never brought clouds where she went. She always brought sunshine," he said.

A light, a joy: Loved ones remember 74-year-old woman killed by 'celebratory gunfire' on Fourth of July

Thorpe's nephews, Davenport and police investigators are pleading for anyone with information to come forward.

They want justice for Thorpe, a woman who brought joy to so many.

"Unfortunately we haven’t had as many leads as we would like, which is one of the reasons we are here today to ask for the community’s help," said Adam Bongarten of the DPD homicide unit.

Thorpe was outside on Burlington Avenue, about a block from her home, when a bullet fell from the sky around 11 p.m. on the night of the Fourth of July.

Investigators want to speak with anyone who was firing shots within a two mile radius of the intersection of Burlington Avenue and Fayetteville Street.

"If it’s weighing on your conscience because you know you were one of the ones that was shooting on the Fourth of July, come in and let’s talk about it. You may leave being able to sleep better at night, knowing you were not a part of this. If you were, it’s better to control the circumstances now then to let us find you," said Jesse Green of the DPD homicide unit.

Thorpe would have turned 75 later this month. She was very involved in her church, and she loved volunteering in the community. She had nine siblings, and she worked for years at what is now Duke Regional Hospital.

She was the pillar of their family. A mother – and a grandmother.

74-year-old woman killed by 'celebratory gunfire' on Fourth of July in Durham

That makes her death even harder, said her nephew Carlos Lyons. “For it to be a block away from where she lives – and ultimately get killed by the one thing she was trying to get away from," he said.

"She could’ve still been with us," he added.

Family, friends and loved ones are desperate for information to help bring them closure. ​