Gun Violence 247
Joseph Lee, 32, ‘Trapper the Rapper’ who loved learning languages
One thing that family and friends would agree on about Joseph Lee is that he was a dedicated student. Joseph loved learning, and even though he did not stay in a regular school setting, he did get his GED and never stopped teaching himself new things. He enjoyed recording happenings in his community and loved […]
Braiheen Jamison, 22, home health aide who wanted to marry fiancee ‘and have 10 kids’
It was the spring of 2011, and Braiheen Jamison was preparing to start his new life. A recent graduate of Glenn Mills High School, Braiheen had a job interview lined up and was expecting a baby boy with his fiancee, Kenya. “They wanted to get married and have 10 kids,” says his mother, Wendy Jamison. […]
Anthony L. Merriett, 55, had a thing for his family, chess—and aliens
Anthony L. Merriett took his work seriously, building a career for himself in construction with a legacy that lives on in storefronts and homes across the city. But he never took himself too seriously—or the aliens he said would be coming any day now. “He had this thing for aliens,” said his wife, Philon Carter, […]
Ahmad Abrams, 18, rec center counselor who was deciding among his many college acceptance letters
Ahmad Abrams was going places. Fresh off graduating high school with honors, he started a job at UPS, but that was only temporary. He was in the process of deciding whether to join the Navy reserves or go straight to one of the many colleges that had accepted him—maybe Pitt, or Pace University in New […]
Donald Henderson, 24, ‘Wiggles’ the ballplayer who also became the neighborhood handyman
Like a lot of parents, it was Lamont “Monty G” Anderson’s dream for his son Donald to follow in his footsteps. So Lamont was thrilled when he showed interest in his father’s career. Monty recalls taking Donald as a kid with him to practice rapping, dressing him like the hip-hop artists, teaching him how to […]
Jasmine Lewis, 20, college basketball star dreaming of the WNBA
Jasmine Aaliyah Lewis started playing basketball in fourth grade, and it quickly became apparent that she had talent. She fell in love with the game at Sturgis Playground in East Oak Lane, then perfected her skills on the court at Mastery Charter North High School. By the time she reached Lackawanna College in Scranton, Jasmine […]
Shahid Davis, 19, planned to further his education
Life was moving in a positive direction for Shahid Quayyum Ahzire Davis. After getting into trouble as a juvenile, he applied himself and was awarded a two-year scholarship to La Salle University. After graduating from Philadelphia North Academy in 2010, though, he told his mother that he wanted to defer his college enrollment for a […]
Trevonte Marks, a ‘man of the house’ at 15, who aspired to be a designer, rapper
Trevonte Marks never wore a bad outfit. Whether it was his school uniform or if he was dressing up for a special occasion, Trevonte, or better known as Tre, always made sure he looked good. Inspired by his dad and uncle’s style, Trevonte loved streetwear and sneaker culture, as noted by his impressive collection of […]
Michael L. Miller, 23, excellent student who was about to start working at Einstein hospital
Michael L. Miller Jr. was an amazing person who grew from a big goofy kid who played around all of the time into a stellar student. And finally into a young man with big dreams, a close-knit family and a new job on the horizon. “He had a smile that warmed your soul,” said his […]
Rashee Chiverton, 43, a protector to his family who also lost a son to gun violence
Rashee “Shay” Ashley Chiverton couldn’t help but watch over those close to him, whether it be his own family or even any of the neighbors on his tight-knit block. Once, when a neighbor locked herself out, he climbed through her window to help her get back in. “Most neighbors are elderly, and he made sure […]
Khyrie Isaac, 18, a ‘beast’ on the football field looking to start a clothing brand
Off the football field, Khyrie Isaac, could be silly and lighthearted once you got to know him, but put a helmet on him and he was a force to be reckoned with. His mother even called him a beast on the field. “He loved the sport and lived and breathed it,” said his father, Schaine. […]
Isiah Brown, 22, a well-liked guy with a sentimental heart
When Isiah Tariq Brown was a senior at Olney High School in 2009, he was voted the person who got along with everyone. “He loved his friends,” his mother Nicole Brown said. “He was outgoing and very generous and compassionate. He was a leader amongst his friends.” Isiah was born Jan. 26, 1991 in Philadelphia […]
Marc Anthony Santiago-Moyer, 24: ‘What’s our million-dollar move today?’
“What’s up, family? So what’s our million-dollar move today?” It’s a phrase Marc-Anthony Santiago Moyer would say often, and now his little brother, Ben, carries on the tradition in the mornings when he comes down for breakfast. The homage shouldn’t come as a surprise, because even though they were born 17 years apart, they spent […]
Christine Whitaker, 56, cherished her daughters after rebuilding her life
After becoming a single mother at 20, Christine Yvette Whitaker lived a busy, vibrant life with her daughters in tow. No matter where she went, you saw her with her first daughter, Nashay, and her second daughter, Chikeena, who soon followed. Even though Chrissy was determined to do the best she could for her two […]
Nicolas Elizalde, 14, comic book artist, animal lover and Barry Fan-ilow
Nicolas Elizalde packed a lot of life into the 14 years he was here. A kind, gentle, deeply compassionate boy, he was the kind of empathetic soul people were drawn to. Even animals couldn’t keep themselves away. “Each night I tucked Nick into bed, animals would come near his window,” said his mother, Meredith, her […]
Subscribe to our newsletter
Follow us on Facebook
Most viewed
Neighborhoods
Every month, we create a placeholder webpage for each person murdered in Philadelphia. Our hope is to elevate these pages into fully written stories with photos that show who each victim was as a person. Through storytelling, we're shining a light on the human toll of gun violence in Philadelphia.