Kendrick V. Thornton was 22 when he was fatally shot in Chicago on August 21, 2016. His death occurred during a year of sharply rising gun violence across the city; Chicago recorded 754 homicides in 2016 and August of that year alone saw 92 killings, making it the deadliest month in almost two decades.

Thornton’s killing is presented as part of that broader spike in violence, concentrated in neighborhoods facing economic hardship and ongoing gang conflicts. The year’s surge in homicides strained investigations, with authorities noting limited witness cooperation and a lack of community trust that complicated solving cases.

If anyone knew Kendrick, saw events around his death, or has information that could help investigators, please come forward.