Rashawn Williams was 14 when he was fatally stabbed on September 2, 2014, in the Mission District of San Francisco near the corner of Folsom and 26th Streets. The attack happened in the early evening outside a convenience store as he was walking home from school. Witnesses said the altercation involved two boys about Rashawn’s age; a juvenile classmate was arrested soon after, but the suspect’s name was not released because of his age.

Rashawn attended Sacred Heart Cathedral Preparatory and had been a well-known student at Buena Vista Horace Mann Middle School, active in extracurriculars including a reporting workshop held by Mission Local. Teachers described him as academically gifted, passionate about issues like racism and politics, and proud of his Black Salvadoran identity. He had just been accepted to his dream high school on a scholarship and had recently taken an after-school job he never began.

The death prompted community memorials and renewed concern about youth violence in the neighborhood. If anyone knew Rashawn, the circumstances that evening, or the two youths involved, please come forward with information.