Angel Lopez Jr., a 17-year-old student at Central High School in Rock Island, Illinois, was found with a gunshot wound to the chest on the evening of September 18, 2022, in the 1300 block of 3rd Avenue. He was taken to a nearby hospital but died of his injuries; the Rock Island Police Department classified the incident as a homicide and opened an investigation.

Angel, of Hispanic descent, was active in boxing and the community and is remembered by family and friends as a beloved son, brother, and friend. The investigation led to the arrest of two suspects who were apprehended in Oklahoma City in late November 2022 and extradited to the Quad Cities: 17-year-old Corion Thomas of East Moline and 22-year-old Davyon J. Q. Woods-Jackson of Rock Island. Thomas was charged with first-degree murder. Woods-Jackson faced multiple charges including counts of first-degree murder, aggravated battery with a firearm, armed robbery, aggravated discharge of a firearm, and obstruction of justice. Thomas was held at the Mary Davis Juvenile Detention Facility and Woods-Jackson at the Rock Island County Jail with bond set at $500,000.

Angel’s parents, Angel Sr. and Arcelia Lopez, his siblings and extended family continue to grieve, and the community has rallied in support. If anyone has information about what happened that night, please come forward to assist the investigation.