Speculation continues to swirl following the unexplained fatal shooting of a 12-year-old Binghamton girl as she walked just steps from her East Side home.

City police investigators have released no new information about the death of Aliza Spencer. The sixth grade student at East Middle School was shot once in the chest around 10 p.m. Thursday on Bigelow Street. She died at a hospital a short time later.

Police have said Aliza was walking with her father and brother when she was wounded. Neighbors told WNBF News that the girl often walked with family members at night in their neighborhood.

A memorial with flowers and balloons near the home of Aliza Spencer on Bigelow Street. Photo: Bob Joseph/WNBF News
A memorial with flowers and balloons near the home of Aliza Spencer on Bigelow Street. (Photo: Bob Joseph/WNBF News)
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A $10,000 reward for information leading to the arrest of the person responsible for Aliza's death has nearly doubled since it was announced on Friday afternoon.

Mayor Jared Kraham, speaking with reporters at a downtown street reconstruction site on Monday morning, said the reward amount had grown to $19,500 because of community donations.

Kraham was asked whether police had a person of interest in connection with the shooting of Aliza. He said: "No. Not at this time."

Bigelow Street in Binghamton following the shooting of Aliza Spencer on April 21, 2022. Photo: Bob Joseph/WNBF News
Bigelow Street in Binghamton following the shooting of Aliza Spencer on April 21, 2022. Photo: Bob Joseph/WNBF News
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The mayor said "detectives continued to work the case over the weekend." He said "every law enforcement resource possible is being allocated to this case."

Kraham said "I think everyone wants to have this mystery solved." He acknowledged that "people obviously have a lot of questions." He said detectives "are working day and night to answer those questions."

The mayor said: "This is a very difficult case."

People with information about the shooting of Aliza Spencer may contact the Binghamton police detective division at (607) 772-7080.

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Contact WNBF News reporter Bob Joseph: bob@wnbf.com.

For breaking news and updates on developing stories, follow @BinghamtonNow on Twitter.

 

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