Parents Of Slain Woman Call For Justice, Peace

MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) -- The parents of a young woman murdered in north Minneapolis are asking for help in finding the person who took her life.

Iesha Wiley, 26, was gunned downed in broad daylight last week in a strip mall parking lot.

Her parents and police are concerned about the possibility of more violence in response to this crime.

Teddie Wiley says her daughter was beautiful inside and out.

"A little bitty person, but she stands 6-feet tall," Teddie said.

She says Iesha loved people, and she loved to travel. Fashion was her passion, and she had plans to open her own boutique.

Her father, Arthur Fields, is asking for anyone with information about who killed his daughter to come forward.

"The first and foremost thing you can do, you know, besides pray is give some type of information for justice can take its course," Arthur said.

He is also asking for peace, just like he has done in the past.

"You don't make a bloodbath in the streets for somebody else to feel this pain, somebody else mother and father feel that pain," he said.

Fields was one of many leaders who came to Minneapolis back in the late 90s to broker peace among waring gangs.

The New York Times dubbed the city "Murderapolis," and Arthur was instrumental in bringing the gang war to an end.

"I live to save a life and make a better man or a woman," Arthur said.

Police are concerned about the possibility of more violence behind this shooting.

"I don't want nobody else to get hurt," Teddie said. "My kid, no kid. I don't want nobody on the streets bleeding."

All Iesha's parents want is peace -- and for the person responsible for taking her away to pay for what he did.

"Go to the authorities, you know, surrender," she said. "I just want justice for my daughter."

Police say they need tips from the community to help solve this crime.