At 7:22 a. m. Wednesday, Tampa Police were called to 5008 Sierra Place on a report of a gate falling on a child.

According to police, Zhanaye Williams, 7, had left her apartment at the Brookside Apartments and was heading to her bus stop within the complex.

Police said when Zhanaye tried to move a huge gate that stretches across the parking lot area, it fell on top of her.

Zhanaye was transported to a local hospital and was later pronounced dead.

Zhanaye was a second grade student at Riverhills Elementary School, and crisis team members spoke with her second grade classmates and others affected by her death. Also, a team of counselors were at the school Thursday.

Neighbors in the area said they tried to save Zhanaye, but the gate was too heavy. One man said he tried as hard as he could to lift the gate, but it had to weigh hundreds of pounds.

Code Enforcement Director, Jake Slater, said the apartment complex has no code violations, and his office was called March 30th by a resident complaining that all of the gate entrance and exits were closed. When the inspector went to the complex, all of the gates were open, so the file was closed.  Police reported that they aren’t sure if the gate to the complex was secure, but somehow it ended up on top of Zhanaye.

School District spokesperson, Linda Cobbe, said Zhanaye had just transferred to Riverhills Elementary a month ago.

Zhanaye has four siblings, and family members have no statements to make at this time.