Daishawn Moore

Daishawn Moore, a 16-year-old known to friends as "D-Moore," was a student at North Lawndale College Prep in Chicago. His life was a source of love and pain for his family, particularly for his uncle, Alex King, who became a prominent anti-gun violence activist. King described his nephew's killing, which happened just two weeks after Daishawn's 16th birthday, as a devastating turning point in his own life. Daishawn, an African-American teenager, lived in the same West Side neighborhood where his life would be tragically cut short.

The early evening of Sunday, May 28, 2017, was the start of summer break. Around 6:30 p.m., Daishawn was with a 16-year-old friend, Dakia Spearman, in a gangway in the 1600 block of South St. Louis in Chicago's Lawndale neighborhood. As they stood together, a gray car passed by, and an occupant opened fire in their direction. The sudden burst of gunfire struck both teenagers. Daishawn was hit in the back. He was rushed to Mount Sinai Hospital, but his injury was catastrophic. He was pronounced dead at 6:41 p.m., just minutes after arriving. His companion, Dakia, survived, having suffered a graze wound to her back. She was also treated at Mount Sinai.

The investigation into the drive-by shooting was handled by the Chicago Police Department. Detectives worked the case which, according to later court records, involved an element of mistaken identity. The investigation led to the identification of two suspects who were subsequently arrested in connection with the fatal shooting.

Prosecutors brought charges against Avior Thurman and his co-defendant, Ruben Rhodes. They were indicted on multiple counts, including first-degree murder for the death of Daishawn Moore and aggravated battery for the shooting of Dakia Spearman. The two men were ordered to be tried separately, with different juries hearing the evidence against each of them.

Avior Thurman’s case went to a jury trial. He was found guilty of first-degree murder and aggravated battery. During the sentencing hearing, the profound grief of Daishawn’s family was shared with the court. His grandmother stood and read a victim impact statement written by Daishawn's mother, expressing the immense pain their family endured. In his own statement to the court, Thurman admitted to being the shooter but maintained that he had not intended to harm Daishawn or Dakia, claiming he was firing at someone else. The court sentenced Avior Thurman to a total of 65 years in prison for the murder, a term that included a 40-year sentence for the crime plus a 25-year enhancement for personally discharging the firearm that caused a death. He received a consecutive sentence for the aggravated battery charge.

The loss of Daishawn Moore reverberated far beyond his immediate family. His uncle, Alex King, channeled his grief into activism, becoming a leader in organizations like "Good Kids, Mad City" and speaking at national rallies, including the March for Our Lives in Washington, D.C. He frequently shares the story of his nephew to highlight the daily reality of gun violence in communities like Lawndale and to advocate for greater resources and support for traumatized youth.

As of a May 2026 appellate court ruling that affirmed Avior Thurman’s conviction and sentence, he remains incarcerated. The case against his co-defendant, Ruben Rhodes, proceeded separately through the Cook County court system. The tragic, mistaken-identity shooting that ended Daishawn Moore's life continues to serve as a painful example of the gun violence that affects Chicago's youth.