FORT SMITH, Ark. — On March 24, 26-year-old Chanell Moore was shot and killed at Doug's Eastside Convenience store on Rogers Avenue in Fort Smith.
On Saturday, April 22, the community came together to hold a benefit concert to honor her life and legacy. From sun up to sun down community members gathered at the Recovery Room to raise money through silent auctions and selling barbecue food for Chanell's four kids that were left behind.
"It's very heartbreaking because I'm a mother. I have mothers who all work for me, grandmothers who work for me, and we're all about the children the babies, and the families. It has been very heartbreaking," Said Leah Pierce, manager at Recovery Room.
Recovery Room manager Leah Pierce says two days after hearing the news of Chanell being shot and killed she decided something needed to be done to help her kids.
"I started planning all of the work and it does take a lot of work to get it all done but I've had an amazing staff that works for me and very loyal and supportive customers and the community anywhere from small business owners to chains, they have all donated 90 different items from mom and pop business owners, chains, all over Crawford and Sebastian County have been super supportive," Pierce said.
Community members say crime on this side of town is unusual.
"On the east side of town we've never had a drop of trouble out here, everybody knows everybody you know from the sub-divisions that are right back behind us. We literally frequent that store seven days a week, and everybody knows everybody. Never once have we thought for a second that something tragic like that would happen so close to home," Pierce explained.
Dougs Convenience store owner Doug Schwartz agreed that "it is very unusual it has never happened before. It's a terrible thing and there's no reason for it"
Chanell Moore worked at Doug's Eastside Convenience store for three years and the store owner says her smile lit up a room.
"Every customer that's ever been in my store just loved everything about Chanell, she was a great employee, she was great to everyone one of my customers and at this benefit here, these are customers of Doug's Eastside that are donating money for this cause," Schwartz said.
For this event, all proceeds earned on Saturday went toward Chanell's four children.
Fort Smith police are still searching for the suspect. If you have any information call the police, or Fort Smith Crimestoppers at 78CRIME. Your anonymous call could lead to a thousand-dollar reward.
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