Joel Smith was 31 when he was fatally shot in Chicago on August 11, 2008. His death came during a weekend that was part of a wider summer surge in gun violence across the city, a period that pushed Chicago’s homicide total past 500 by the end of that year.

The shooting happened in a neighborhood described as prone to gang conflicts. Investigators linked many violent incidents that summer, including Smith’s homicide, to gang rivalries; the case reportedly suffered from limited leads and a lack of witness cooperation. Smith’s death was one of several that highlighted the difficulty community leaders and law enforcement faced in curbing violence in affected neighborhoods.

Does anyone have information about Joel Smith, where he lived or any details about the August 11 shooting?