African American male Miles Adrian Thompson, 18, was visiting family in Chicago's Austin neighborhood when his life was cut short the morning of July 8, 2021, one day before his nineteenth birthday.
A standout defensive player and 2020 graduate of Glenbrook North High School in Northbrook, he had earned a scholarship to St. Ambrose University in Iowa and was remembered by relatives and coaches as driven, entrepreneurial, and determined to make good on his talent.
Shortly after 7 a.m., police found the 18 year old unresponsive in the alley behind his father's home, in the first block of North Mayfield Avenue on the West Side. He had suffered a gunshot wound to the chest and was pronounced dead at the scene; the Cook County medical examiner recorded his death at 7:15 a.m. Investigators initially noted it wasn't immediately clear when the shooting occurred.
Area Four detectives opened a homicide investigation and canvassed the area, reviewing surveillance video for leads. In the immediate aftermath, Chicago police said no arrests had been made, and weeks later local coverage still reported that no one had been charged. Publicly available records and reporting since have not identified a suspect or announced charges in the killing.
Loved ones and the wider school community mourned the loss of a young man they believed was on the brink of a bright future. Memorial services were held on July 17, 2021, as friends and family celebrated Miles Adrian Thompson's life and raised funds in his memory, recalling not only his promise on the field but the kindness and energy he carried into everyday life.
