The protest turns violent, as the police use tear gas and rubber bullets to disperse the crowd, and as King and his gang set fire to buildings and loot stores. Starr and her friends are caught in the chaos, and they try to escape and to help others who are in danger.
Starr and her friends encounter Officer Cruise, who is at the scene to provide backup. Starr confronts him and points a gun at him, which she took from Maverick's store.
She is tempted to shoot him and to avenge Khalil, but she decides not to, as she realizes that violence is not the answer and that Khalil would not want her to become a killer. She drops the gun and tells Officer Cruise that he will have to live with the guilt of what he did, and that she will never let him forget Khalil's name.
Starr and her friends are rescued by Maverick and Carlos, who arrive with other residents of Garden Heights. They also face King, who tries to shoot Starr, but is stopped by DeVante and Seven, who disarm him and beat him up.
King is then arrested by the police, who have been informed by Iesha, Seven's mother and King's girlfriend, about his criminal activities. Iesha decides to cooperate with the police and to take her children, Kenya and Lyric, away from King and from Garden Heights.
Starr and her family and friends gather at Maverick's store, which has been partially burned but is still standing. They are joined by other people from the neighborhood, who show their support and solidarity. Starr realizes that Garden Heights is more than a place, it is a community of people who care for each other and who can overcome their challenges.
She also realizes that she has a voice and a power that no one can take away from her, and that she can use it to speak up for herself and for others. She decides to keep fighting for Khalil and for all the people who have been silenced by oppression and violence. She ends the novel by saying, “I'll never be quiet. I promise.”
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