Diondre Crosby-Nelson, a 19-year-old African American male from Chicago Heights, IL, tragically lost his life on January 28, 2020. The incident occurred in Lynwood, Illinois, near a popular roller skating rink. According to police reports, Crosby-Nelson had arranged to meet a 25-year-old man, Jonathan Arroyo-Ortiz, in the parking lot of the Lynwood Sport Center to purchase a Samsung Note8 cell phone. However, the situation took a fatal turn when Crosby-Nelson attempted to steal the phone and fled the scene. Arroyo-Ortiz pursued him and fired multiple shots, hitting Crosby-Nelson in the back, head, and buttocks. Crosby-Nelson was rushed to the hospital but was later pronounced dead.
The shooting was partially captured by the security cameras of the roller skating rink, providing crucial evidence for the investigation. Crosby-Nelson's family revealed that he had been diagnosed with bipolar disorder, which affected his ability to make rational decisions. His grandmother, Doris Crosby, who had raised him since he was a baby, and his mother, Marcy Nelson, expressed their grief and highlighted the family's history of violence, noting that Crosby-Nelson's father had also been killed by gunfire in 2005.
Jonathan Arroyo-Ortiz, the shooter, called the police himself to report the incident and was subsequently taken into custody. He was charged with murder and awaited trial. The case drew attention to the dangers of person-to-person online sales, with authorities and advocates urging the public to use police stations as safe zones for such transactions. The investigation into the shooting continued, with Arroyo-Ortiz's actions and the circumstances leading up to the fatal encounter being closely examined by law enforcement.
