Miguel Cruz, 28, was killed on September 13, 2012, on Chicago’s South Side. The death occurred during a year when the city recorded over 500 homicides and a widely reported surge in violent crime. Police records place the incident in the South Side area and are logged in the Chicago Police Department’s CLEAR system, which records incidents at block level while protecting victim privacy.

The case is presented against the backdrop of 2012’s broader spike in violence and the city’s efforts that year to increase police presence and pursue community safety initiatives. Does anyone have information about Miguel Cruz, his life, or the circumstances of his death that could help clarify what happened?