Friends say innocent bystander killed outside Sheffield bar had 'purest heart'

The friend and cousin of a 30-year-old innocent bystander shot and killed in Sheffield have told Good Morning Britain it is the “stuff of nightmares”.

Shanice Brookes was enjoying a night out with friends on West Street in the city centre when she was caught in the line of fire in the early hours of bank holiday Monday. She later died in hospital.

Her friend K-cee Cooper-Foster, whose children Shanice was godmother to, had been with her just hours before.

“She should have been coming back home to us, and now we’re never going to see her again,” she said.

Speaking alongside Shanice’s cousin, Tyler-Jay Reid, they described the mum of one as “one of a kind”.

“She had the purest heart and was the best mum to her son anyone could ask for,” said Ms Cooper-Foster.

Shanice Brookes was fatally shot outside One Four One bar on West Street. / Credit: Family handout

A man and a woman have since been charged in connection with her death.

Jemele Rhone, aged 30, of Outram Road, Sheffield, has been charged with murder, possession of a firearm and possession of criminal property.

Deiryen Dyce, aged 32, of Ellesmere Road North, Sheffield, has been charged with assisting an offender, possession of ammunition, possession of drugs with intent to supply, possession of drugs and possession of criminal property.

Both have been remanded into custody ahead of appearing at Sheffield Magistrates’ Court on Friday.

A 30-year-old man arrested on suspicion of murder on Monday has now been released and is no longer being treated as a suspect, South Yorkshire Police said.

Ms Reid and Ms Cooper-Foster told GMB of the horror when they found out what happened.

“She’s gone out for a birthday celebration. She’s gone to let her hair down like any 30-year-old would,” said Ms Reid.

“She’s been just an innocent person who’s just been in the wrong place at the wrong time. It could happen to anyone. Anyone’s daughter, anyone’s friend, anyone’s family, and I would not want anyone to go through what we’re going to have right now.”

Tyler-Jay Reid (left), Shanice’s cousin, and their friend, K-cee Cooper-Foster (right) spoke exclusively to Good Morning Britain. / Credit: GMB

Ms Brookes leaves behind a ten-year-old son, whom she had been due to take to the Arsenal victory parade this weekend, but who will now grow up without his mother.

“She’s so selfless, she’s not even a massive football fan, but she was putting it aside for her son, and she was going to take him to the Emirates,” said Ms Reid.

“She was so excited about going, and he was so excited to go down, and something like that has now been ripped apart from him.”

Ms Cooper-Foster and Ms Reid have set up a GoFundMe page to raise money for Shanice’s funeral as well as her son’s future.

“We want to raise awareness, we want to do the best we can and push this GoFundMe because we want her to have an amazing send off, but we also want to invest in the family and his future,” Ms Reid said.

“It’s not going to make it better, but we can at least help give him a head start and the future that he needs,” said Ms Cooper-Foster. “She would be doing exactly the same for us.”