Kendall Berrington (Fischer Family Funeral Services). Background: The Michigan gas station where pregnant 19-year-old victim Kendall Berrington was “caught in the crossfire” of a shootout and killed on New Year’s Eve (WJRT/YouTube).
A pregnant 19-year-old in Michigan who stopped at a gas station to get a soda was shot in the head and killed, along with her unborn child, by another teen who walked into the station’s store and “immediately” started blasting at someone who was inside, cops say.
“A shootout ensues almost instantaneously, and the victim was caught in the crossfire,” said Saginaw County Chief Assistant Prosecutor Blair Stevenson last week during the arraignment of Korvareaon Smith, 17, who is charged with open murder, assault with intent to murder, homicide-willful killing of an unborn quick child, discharging a firearm in or at a building and felony firearm, according to local ABC affiliate WJRT.
“It appears that she was at a hospital that night experiencing contractions and she stopped at a gas station to get a pop,” Stevenson said about victim Kendall Berrington, who was killed on New Year’s Eve.
Court documents obtained by MLive.com say Smith drew a pistol “immediately upon entering” the Marathon gas station on Court Street in Saginaw and opened fire on “another individual inside of the store.” A 22-year-old man who was in the store with Berrington was also shot and critically injured. A mother who was inside with her 7-year-old narrowly escaped unscathed, prosecutors say.
“It’s just a tragic situation.” Stevenson said, with prosecutors noting in the court documents how Smith chose to “start a war” despite there being people in the store, MLive.com reports.
“The instant offenses were callous acts of violence, and to say Defendant presents a severe danger to the community would be an understatement,” the documents charge.
Smith is reportedly on probation and has been in and out of custody multiple times over the years, according to prosecutors. “It seems he cannot refrain from criminal behavior,” the court documents state.
The teen’s juvenile record dates back to 2021 and includes adjudications of being a runaway, tampering with a probation tether [electronic monitoring device], fleeing police, and operating a motor vehicle without a license, according to MLive.com. Smith cut off his monitoring device in May 2023 and was “AWOL for nearly two weeks … before being apprehended by police and placed in detention,” prosecutors say.
The teen also went “AWOL,” or absent without official leave, in July 2023 before being placed in a residential detention facility, MLive.com reports. He has reportedly failed court-ordered drug tests multiple times in the past, as well.
Berrington’s family says she was due to deliver a son named Roman on Jan. 14. Her birthday was on Jan. 10.
“She adored the character Stitch, from Lilo and Stitch,” Berrington’s obituary says. “Kendall was always smiling, loved being around people, was the life of the party wherever she went, and was known as a great kid. She will be forever missed by her family, friends, and all who knew her.”
Berrington’s brother told WJRT after the shooting that she and her family would visit the gas station frequently.
“Every night at least once a day we would be walking over to that gas station,” Brent Morris said.
Smith surrendered to Saginaw police on Jan. 13 while accompanied by a parent, according to MLive.com. He is scheduled to appear for a probable cause conference on Wednesday and is being held without bond.
