Keontay Hightie, a 21-year-old African American male, was tragically shot and killed on June 8, 2022, in Chicago, IL. Hightie was on a porch in the 3800 block of West Maypole Avenue around 11:40 a.m. when an argument escalated, leading to his fatal shooting. According to the Chicago police and the Cook County medical examiner’s office, Hightie was pronounced dead at Stroger Hospital shortly after the incident.
His death marked a somber end to a life that had been marked by significant challenges and legal troubles.
Hightie had previously been featured in the Vice documentary series "Last Chance High," which aired in 2014 and highlighted the lives of at-risk youth in Chicago. The series chronicled his time at Moses Montefiore Academy, a school for special needs students that closed in 2016. Throughout the series, Hightie shared his experiences with gang involvement and drug dealing, which began at a young age. By the time he was 16, six of his friends had been murdered, and he had already been shot in the leg.
In February 2021, Hightie was arrested in downtown Chicago along with another individual. They were found in a stolen car, and a gun equipped with a switch to fire fully automatic was discovered under the hood. Hightie was charged with being a felon in possession of a gun, aggravated unlawful use of a weapon, and criminal trespass to a vehicle. However, in April 2022, Cook County prosecutors dropped the weapons charges, and Hightie pleaded guilty to criminal trespass to a vehicle. He had spent nearly a year on electronic monitoring and was sentenced to time served.
The investigation into Hightie's death revealed that the shooting occurred during an argument, but details about the suspect or suspects involved have not been publicly disclosed. As of now, there have been no arrests or significant developments reported in the case. Hightie's death has left a profound impact on his family, including his mother and two children, who are now left to cope with the loss.
