'Justice for Chloe Carroll' supports Terre Haute Humane Society

Jan. 31—Signs, banners and billboards were ubiquitous — "Justice for Chloe Carroll," they read, alongside a portrait of a smiling teenage girl.

Chloe was sitting in a car outside a convenience store July 23 when a 15-year-old gunman emptied five bullets into the vehicle, killing her.

In life, Chloe was known for her infectious giggle and love of animals — she planned to become a veterinarian and help animals. In death, she continues to touch others and is still helping animals: Sales of "Justice for Chloe Carroll" signs and other Chloe-related memorabilia are benefitting the Terre Haute Humane Society in perpetuity through the Chloe Carroll Memorial Fund, which provided money to pay for emergency treatments required by strays the shelter takes in.

"Our number-one priority is to keep her legacy alive, and we will continue to do that forever," said Lisa Pierce, Chloe's mother. "We have animals — we have roosters, chickens, peacocks, rabbits, dogs, a cat, and she loved them all." Chloe would even swim with her pet rabbit.

"It's an unusually thoughtful gift because what it does create is something that transcends a single adoption event or a single donation event," said Charles Brown, executive director at the shelter. "This is something that will perpetuate for years. People understand the tragedy it came out of, but equally important is the incredible impact that it's going to continue to have. That's particularly striking."

"We always knew because of her love for animals that that's where we wanted to go first," said Darla Hopper, whose sons are Chloe's brothers.

People can donate to the Chloe Carroll Memorial Fund at the shelter's website, thhs.org. "We'll share stories of the animals who have benefitted from the fund," Brown said, adding that it will aid animals with special hardships — heartworm, having been hit by a car. "It's a way to keep her legacy out there in the public."

More fundraisers are planned for the future, including a golf outing in May. A scholarship fund is in the works, as is a plan to promote gun control and education for minors. They have collected enough plastic caps to have two benches made from recycled plastic, which will be placed at the schools Chloe attended, Honey Creek Middle School and Terre Haute South Vigo High School.

Chloe frequently demonstrated the sort of beneficence her family is performing in her name. "She would go out of her way for others," Pierce recalled. "A new kid had come to school — he was bullied, and he sat by himself. Chloe went to sit with him to let him know he's not alone, and that she's going to try to protect him from being bullied."

Her mother further remembered, "She played basketball and soccer. She did cheerleading when she was younger. Roller-skating was her thing, she loved roller-skating. She was the fastest girl skater in Terre Haute. She loved life."

"My sons loved to torment her and I think she loved it, too," Hopper added.

Pierce didn't learn of her daughter's death from the police. "Someone called my oldest daughter and told her that they had heard that Chloe had been shot," she said. "My daughter immediately came to my house. I tried calling the hospitals and they put me on hold to speak to a detective, so I knew at that moment that Chloe was dead."

"I went into protection mode, because my sons are Chloe's brothers," Hopper said. "I went into protection mode because I knew it was going to break them, and it did. My grandchildren loved her beyond words, and I knew they were going to be broken. It was an unreal nightmare that I play over and over."

"I don't think any of us has accepted it yet," Pierce said. "A lot of us are still in shock." More than 500 people attended her memorial service.

Those who loved Chloe have not tried to make sense of the cosmic or social repercussions of her death.

"I try not to go there with that," Hopper said. "There's currently 15 juveniles in Marion County for murders involving guns. It's a nationwide issue with these youths out there and so I try not to go there. I have space in my life — I think justice will prevail, I just have to put my faith that the prosecutor's office will do what needs to be done to get justice for her."

She added, "I try to stay positive and do positive things because that's what she would want us to do. It's what she would do if it was me and she was sitting here."

Pierce, at a loss for words for the only time in the interview, nodded and pointed to Hopper, signifying her agreement.

Terre Haute police arrested two teenagers in the shooting. The shooting suspect, now 16, will have a hearing March 24 to determine whether his case will be waived into adult court. He faces charges of murder in Chloe Carroll's death, attempted murder after the neck of another person in the car was grazed by a bullet, and criminal recklessness for shooting into the car.

A "Justice for Chloe Carroll" billboard stands outside the Vigo County Juvenile Center where he is being detained.

In Brown's office at the shelter, a grey kitten named Archer lolls about on the floor. Archer is an example of a candidate for the Chloe Carroll Memorial Fund — she has angular tibia, which basically means his back feet are growing backwards.

But, Brown said, "the vets have determined that it wouldn't be worth it to do any kind of intervention, that she's healthy-happy, getting along with it, so we're just monitoring it and the quality of life. She was just zooming around an hour ago.

"It's amazing how resilient they are — they don't miss it, they just embrace life for what it is," Brown philosophized. "We could definitely learn something from them."

Pierce and Hopper are trying.

David Kronke can be reached at 812-231-4232 or at david.kronke@tribstar.com.