DETROIT (WWJ) - Three years since the murder of a 15-year-old Sterling Heights girl in a drive-by shooting, her family is again pleading for tips to find justice.

Jada Rankin's mother and other loved ones gathered Wednesday at Jada Simone Rankin Playground, a Detroit park named in the teen's honor.

Jada Rankin (Handout)

"My heart is so heavy and so broken; somebody decided to take my baby," mom Tawanna Rankin said, through tears. "I've been doing this for three whole years, and I'm tired."

Police said Rankin was shot in the stomach early in the morning of Sunday, October 16, 2016, while celebrating a family birthday at her grandmother’s house in the 14000 block Ardmore Street, on Detroit's west side.

A driver speeding down the street, near Grand River and Schoolcraft, when Rankin’s brother asked the driver to slow down. The unknown gunman stopped, opened the car door and shot into the crowd, striking the teen.

Rankin — a straight-A student at Sterling Heights High School — died a short time later at a local hospital.

Crime Stoppers, which is offering a $13,500 reward for the tip that leads to an arrest, calls this a case of a “bright future cut way too short.”

"A playground is a wonderful way to honor the life of a child as children come to play freely and feel safe. The key word there is child," Crime Stoppers said. "Jada was only 15 years old and deserved the right to feel safe in her community. We hope and pray that you can help this family get the answers they need while also helping to keep your neighborhood safer."

(credit: Detroit Police)

“As a community, we must come together and show zero tolerance for those who hurt or kill our children,” the organization stated. “As adults, we are the ones they look up to and trust to keep them safe. As neighbors, each of us has a moral responsibility to say something if we see a crime. Even if you’re worried about being identified or reluctant to go to police, there is still no excuse because the Crime Stoppers system is 100% anonymous.”

While no suspects have been named, police last spring released a composite sketch of the gunman. He's described as a black male, 28-30 years old, around 6' tall and 240 lbs. with medium brown complexion, clean shaven, low-cut hair, a black mustache and a beard.

Anyone who recognizes this suspect or who has any information that could help bring justice in this case is asked to call Detroit Police Department’s Homicide Unit at 313-596-2260 or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-SPEAK-UP (1-800-773-2587). Tips may also be submitted online at this link.

The reward through Crime Stoppers is paid in cash and you will not be asked your name, to speak with police or to testify in court.