Police continue searching for answers after a 3-year-old child was shot and killed in Southeast D.C. last week.

In response to the deadly shooting of Ty’ah Settles of Southeast, the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) has raised the stakes, increasing the total possible reward amount to $50,000 for any information leading to the arrest and conviction of those responsible.

MPD said the girl was found at a nearby fire station in the 2400 block of Irving Street, Southeast, suffering from a gunshot wound. The child was airlifted by United States Park Police to a local hospital but was later pronounced dead.

SEE ALSO | Southeast DC woman assaulted in apartment complex, suspect now in custody

According to their preliminary investigation, MPD said the child was inside a vehicle in the 2300 block of Hartford Street at the time of the shooting.

Metropolitan Police Chief Pamela Smith called the deadly crime “senseless.”

“This should not have ever happened,” she said. “The family is theremaking a decision about what their next steps are going to be and this senseless type of violence has to stop in our city. And we're going to make sure that we're putting every resource on making sure that we find out who was behind that.”

Smith said people in the community have been reaching out “very actively” with tips and she is encouraging anyone with information on the crime to come forward.

The reward was originally set to $25,000, however, in partnership with MPD, an additional $10,000 has been offered by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and an additional $15,000 has been offered by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, bringing the total possible reward amount up to $50,000.

Anyone with information can call the police at (202) 727-9099 or text your tip to the Department's TEXT TIP LINE at 50411.

ncG1vNJzZmivp6x7uLbAnKuvZpOkunC6xLCqaKaRqbawuoywpquklGTAsMHToZyaq6RisaR50qGmqKyZo7RuwNian2arlanBrbHSZmpmsZWWv267y51koKGioXqstculnJ1loprEor7DZqCnm6KarrSxw2aqoaekYravv8idnGaulZ22pLjEZp%2BaqqSbvLOwjKyrq52VqXqlscCdo7Jlk6e2rrGMn6CrnV2owaLAyKilZqWgmXqusdOrpqmnnJ7BorqMqaaloZOaeqq61Z6qraGXlsGqu80%3D