Corey Martin was 17 when he was shot and killed on December 16, 2016, in the Austin neighborhood on Chicago’s West Side. His death occurred during a year of sharply elevated violence in the city; Chicago recorded over 750 homicides in 2016, making it one of the deadliest years in two decades. Corey was one of several young victims who died during that particularly violent period.

Austin has long faced concentrated poverty, gang activity, and limited access to resources, conditions cited as contributing to higher risks of violence for young residents. Community members remember Corey as a kind-hearted young man, and his death has been cited as part of the broader crisis prompting local calls for more action to address root causes and create safer neighborhoods.

If anyone knew Corey or has information about the shooting, please share what you know with local police or the community groups working on violence prevention.