Joshua Purcell was a 16-year-old Leon High School junior from Tallahassee who played football and ran track and was active in the Omega Lamplighters. Friends, teachers and mentors remembered him for a big personality and an infectious smile; he kept a list of personal goals that included getting closer to God and putting his best foot forward in sports.

On the evening of July 15, 2020, after two of Joshua’s friends were involved in a fight with 18-year-old Danquies Anderson, Joshua and two friends walked toward Anderson’s residence. One friend carried a handgun in a backpack. Joshua began a 14-minute Instagram live during which he called out Anderson and said they wanted a physical fight. The confrontation ended around 9 p.m. in the parking lot of Bethel AME Church on West Orange Avenue, where Anderson shot Joshua four times at close range.

Tallahassee Police reviewed the video and other evidence; Anderson initially said he fired warning shots but later changed his account when shown evidence. Police arrested Anderson on April 23, 2021, charging him with second-degree murder and possession of a firearm by a delinquent. The shooting remains a loss felt by family and community members who gave impact statements at later proceedings. If anyone witnessed the events that night or has information that hasn’t been shared, can you help investigators or Joshua’s family?