Patrick Lee Island II

A loving father, loyal friend, and talented rap artist, Patrick Lee Island II was known to his loved ones as a "solid funny dude" with a down-to-earth and patient nature. The 31-year-old Black man, who went by the nickname "Pj Hammer," was a devoted father to four children and was cherished by his younger relatives as the "best uncle/cousin." A graduate of Kimball High School in his native Dallas, Texas, Patrick was an entrepreneur who channeled his creativity into his music. His friends and family remembered him as a loyal and loving person whose sudden death left a deep void in their community. One friend wrote in tribute, "Parkwood baby Pj I luv u bro fly high."

The tragic end to Patrick’s life came in the pre-dawn hours of Sunday, July 21, 2024. At approximately 3:55 a.m., the Dallas Police Department received a call reporting a shooting in the Oak Cliff neighborhood. Officers were dispatched to the 3300 block of W. Pentagon Parkway, near the intersection with S. Westmoreland Road. The area is a residential street not far from the wooded banks of Five Mile Creek. When the first officers arrived on the scene, they found Patrick lying on the ground. He had been shot multiple times.

Emergency crews from Dallas Fire-Rescue were summoned to the scene to provide medical aid, but Patrick's injuries were too severe. Despite their efforts, he was pronounced deceased at the scene. His death was one of two unrelated homicides that occurred in Dallas over that weekend, and it marked the city's 118th murder of the year as of that date. The Dallas Police Department has been grappling with a chronic staffing shortage, operating with about 1,000 fewer officers than a city analysis recommended was necessary to properly police a jurisdiction of its size.

The Dallas Police Department launched a homicide investigation, documenting the case under number 111594-2024. Detectives began the process of interviewing potential witnesses and canvassing the neighborhood for any evidence, including surveillance footage, that might shed light on what happened. In the initial stages of the investigation, police released few details to the public. The preliminary findings indicated that Patrick had been shot by an unknown suspect or suspects, but the motive for the shooting and the circumstances leading up to it were not made public.

No suspects have been publicly identified, and no arrests have been announced in connection with Patrick's murder. The case quickly went cold, leaving his family and friends without answers and a community searching for justice. In the absence of new leads, the investigation has relied on the hope that someone in the community will come forward with information. Friends and family have lit hundreds of virtual candles on a memorial website, sharing memories and messages of grief. One young relative wrote, "We miss you pj fly high unc."

As of the latest available information in July 2024, the investigation into the murder of Patrick Lee Island II remains open and ongoing. The Dallas Police Department continues to appeal to the public for assistance in solving this crime and bringing closure to his grieving family. Detectives urge anyone who may have seen or heard something, no matter how insignificant it might seem, to come forward. Anyone with information is asked to contact Detective Andrew Knoebel directly at 469-849-3755 or by email at [email protected], referencing case number 111594-2024.