Eric J. Smith was 23 when he was shot and killed in Chicago on June 18, 2016. His death came during a year the city experienced a sharp increase in homicides, driven overwhelmingly by firearms. In 2016 most killings in Chicago involved guns, and police recovered illegal firearms at a higher rate than in some other large cities.

Reports link the rise in killings to a mix of factors including gang activity, more armed robberies, and wider availability of illegal guns; Smith’s shooting is recorded as part of that larger spike in violence that placed heavy strain on law enforcement and community groups.

If anyone knew Eric J. Smith or has information about the June 18, 2016 shooting, please share what you can with investigators.