Brian Murdock was 15 when he was fatally shot on November 6, 2008, in the Englewood neighborhood of Chicago. His death was one of five killings that day, including another teenager, Quinton Buckner, and came during a period when the city’s homicide total for 2008 had already exceeded the number recorded by the same point in 2007.

Englewood and the South Side were under intense strain that year, with residents voicing fear and frustration over frequent killings and the disproportionate impact on their neighborhoods. High-profile nearby murders, such as the slayings of the mother and brother of actress Jennifer Hudson, added to the community’s anguish and the media attention on the spike in violence.

The deaths of Murdock and other young people underscored the challenge of addressing both immediate public safety and the deeper causes behind the cycle of gun violence in Chicago. Does anyone who lived in Englewood then or knows more about Brian Murdock and that day have information to share?