Melvin James was 14 when he was fatally shot on September 5, 2017, in the South Chicago neighborhood, a few blocks from his home. He was struck in the leg and abdomen and taken to a nearby children’s hospital, where he died at 2 a.m. on September 6. Police described the shooting as appearing to be gang-related, while Melvin’s family said he was not involved with any gang and had been experiencing ongoing harassment from local gang members.

Melvin had been a former student at Moses Montefiore Academy, a school for high-risk youth that had closed before his death. Community mentors, including Coach Williams, remembered him as a quiet, kind-hearted boy who enjoyed sports and said the school’s closure left many former students vulnerable; Williams noted Melvin was the eighth former Montefiore student killed since the school closed. The case underscores the intersection of youth violence and the loss of community supports.

If anyone knew Melvin or has information about the shooting, please share what you know.