Toriyus L Keefer was 21 when he was shot and killed in Chicago on August 4, 2016. His death came during an especially deadly month for the city, when more than 400 people were shot and 76 died in August alone — the deadliest month in nearly two decades. Keefer’s killing is described as part of a broader surge that year; Chicago recorded 762 homicides in 2016, with much of the violence concentrated on the South and West sides.

Reports link the spike in shootings that summer to increased gang activity and longstanding social and economic pressures in the most affected neighborhoods. Keefer was one of many victims whose deaths drew attention to debates over gun regulations and targeted interventions to reduce violence.