Martin Tejeda was 16 when he was killed in Chicago on July 12, 2012, in an attack that investigators described as appearing gang-related. Two unidentified gunmen approached from behind a tree and opened fire, wounding Tejeda and a 15-year-old friend; the friend survived while Tejeda was fatally shot as they tried to flee.

The killing occurred amid an especially violent year for the city, which recorded 506 homicides in 2012, a sharp rise from 2011. Commentary at the time linked the surge to multiple factors mentioned by observers, including an unusually warm spring that may have increased street activity and the disbanding of specialized police units that had targeted gang hot spots.

The loss of a teenager like Tejeda illustrates the human cost of that spike in violence. If anyone has information about the shooting or knew Martin, please share what you can with investigators.