Floyd J. Newell, 35, was fatally shot in Chicago on May 31, 2012. His killing occurred during a year when the city saw a marked rise in violence: Chicago recorded 506 homicides in 2012, up from 435 in 2011 and 2010. March 2012 alone saw 53 homicides, more than double the same month a year earlier.

Observers connected the surge to unusually warm early-year temperatures and to the disbanding of specialized police tactical units that had focused on gang violence in hotspot areas. In May 2011, Garry McCarthy became Chicago Police Superintendent and shifted emphasis from those strike units toward community policing, a change that coincided with challenges in controlling the spike in killings on the North and West Sides. Newell’s death is one of many that year highlighting the city’s struggle to balance targeted enforcement and community engagement.

If anyone knew Floyd Newell or has information about his death, please share what you know with investigators.