Malik L. McNeese was a 16-year-old sophomore at Urban Prep Academy's West Campus in Chicago, a young man remembered for his goofy, loving, and respectful nature. To his family, he was affectionate and honest, a kid who loved cartoons and his favorite foods: hot crunchy curls, mashed potatoes, chicken, spaghetti, and macaroni. His sister, Jenell Johnson, recalled that he loved basketball and wanted to play for his school, but his asthma prevented it. On a memorial page, his mother, Tonya, described him as "respectful, honest, happy," and noted that he was not a gang member. Those who knew him well had nicknames for him, including "Harry," "Big Baby," and "chunky man." He was a beloved son and brother whose life was full of promise.
That life was cut short around noon on Tuesday, January 3, 2017, in the East Garfield Park neighborhood on Chicago's West Side.
Malik, an African-American teenager, was standing on a sidewalk with a friend, 17-year-old Stevie Jefferson, in the 3400 block of West Fulton Boulevard. Suddenly, a black SUV pulled up beside them, and an occupant opened fire. The gunfire was rapid and devastating. A neighbor lying in bed nearby reported hearing roughly seven shots. Malik was struck multiple times, with wounds to his head, back, and arm. Stevie was shot in the head.
The violence also spilled into a nearby home, where a stray bullet tore through the front door. Inside, 65-year-old Lillie Turner was bending over to tie her shoes when the bullet struck her in the leg. Her daughter, who was with her, heard screeching tires just before the gunshots erupted. Paramedics rushed all three victims to area hospitals. Malik was taken to Stroger Hospital, where he was pronounced dead at 12:20 p.m. Stevie was transported to Mount Sinai Hospital, where he succumbed to his injuries at 12:41 a.m. the following morning. Ms. Turner was treated at Mount Sinai and was reported to be in good condition, telling a reporter she was "grateful to be alive."
The Chicago Police Department launched a homicide investigation, but the occupants of the black SUV fled the scene and have never been publicly identified. In the days following the shooting, no arrests were made, and the case quickly went cold. The lack of progress was agonizing for Malik's family. His sister started an online petition seeking justice, writing that her brother was an "innocent bystander at the wrong place at the wrong time." She expressed frustration, stating she had heard that police told the other victim's family there was nothing they could do about the murders.
Malik's death sent a shockwave through the community at Urban Prep Academy, where he was the second student to be shot and killed in less than a week. Just days earlier, on December 28, 19-year-old senior Yuri Hardy had been fatally shot. The school's founder and CEO, Tim King, wrote a letter to the school community mourning the loss of another young life to senseless violence. He shared that Malik's mother had made a special request: that her son be buried in his school uniform. King wrote, "We are humbled by that request and we will honor it; just as we honor Malik McNeese, a child robbed of his life and future.”
The double homicide occurred during a period of intense gun violence in Chicago. The city had just concluded 2016 with its highest number of murders in 19 years, and the violence continued unabated into the new year. Residents of East Garfield Park described their neighborhood as a place where shootings were an all-too-common occurrence. "It's crazy over here," one resident told a reporter. "Always shootings on this block. Nobody is safe."
Years have passed since Malik McNeese and Stevie Jefferson were killed. On a memorial website, hundreds of digital candles have been lit in Malik’s honor. His mother left a heartbreaking message there: "I'm his mother and I miss my baby so much. I have never been in this much pain and heart ache." As of late 2017, the most recent information available, no arrests have been made in connection with the murders. The case remains unsolved, and the families of two teenagers are left without answers or justice.
