Gun Violence 249
Ramon Anthony Smith, 46: ‘Very nice and very well-liked’
Just like any kid, Ramon Anthony Smith always loved playing with the other children in his neighborhood. “He was just like a regular neighborhood kid,” said a former neighbor who knew Ramon for years. As he grew up, he was known to be well-spoken and kind, the kind of kid who would not dare to […]
Elliot Cortes, 26, florist with a passion for gardening
The home of Elliot Cortes was always decorated with colorful bouquets of flowers. He spent his days working at Stein Florist on Frankford Avenue, but his love for the vibrant blooms did not stop when he clocked out at the end of the day. It was not just his job, but also his passion in […]
Maurice Riley, 26, father training to be electrical engineer
The moment Maurice Riley became a dad at 18 years old was the proudest experience of the young man’s life. “He was an awesome father from day one,” Maurice’s mother, Lauronda Fletcher, said. “I haven’t come across a more loving, caring parent.” Family was of the utmost importance to Maurice until the day he died. […]
Edgar ‘Chimmy’ Morales, 17, 11th-grader and aspiring plumber
For most teenagers, the last place they want to be is at home with their mother — but that was never the case for Edgar Morales, best known by his nickname “Chimmy.” Throughout his life, his mom’s house served as the hangout spot for Chimmy and his friends. Because his mother was a block captain, […]
Brandon Baylor, 28, loved to tease his sister, ‘Spongebob’
Brandon Baylor was a mamma’s boy at heart. His mother, Mykia Capers, had her son at just 14 years old, making for a strong relationship as the two grew up together. “He respected me as his mom, but we had a relationship where there was nothing he couldn’t say to me,” Mykia said. Their mother-son […]
Kyle Manley, 34: ‘No, not Kyle! Why would that happen to him?’
Losing a loved one to gun violence is never easy, but people were particularly surprised when Kyle Manley was shot. “People were saying, ‘No, not Kyle! Why would that happen to him?’” said his only brother, Todd Manley, a patrol officer at the University of Pennsylvania. “He wasn’t into that type of lifestyle.” The fact […]
Derrick Stallworth, 47: ‘He was always so good to me’
Back when Derrick Stallworth was growing up, all of his cousins used to love coming over to his mother’s house to spend the night. They’d crack jokes all night long, laughing so hard their stomachs got sore until they finally passed out from exhaustion. That’s when the mischievous Derrick would get out the hot sauce, […]
Angelo ‘Lo’ Colon, 21, ‘Clean Freak’ and Rapper
Angelo Colon was always a “clean freak.” Even as a child, when playing in dirt was the norm, Angelo needed to wash his hands as often as possible. “When he was younger, the kids would be out there playing, and every two minutes he’d go into the house because he got a little dirt on […]
Isaiah Batties, 31, positive attitude despite lifelong illness
Isaiah Batties always had a smile on his face, and he had a knack for making others feel good too. “He was really nice and always had a positive attitude about things. And we always thought he was a little bit of a comedian,” said his sister, Diane Precht. Isaiah, who was killed in Wissinoming […]
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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.