Leon Perry, a 19-year-old African American male, was tragically killed on October 18, 2017, in Calumet City, Illinois. He was found alongside his mother, Seretse Robinson-Perry, a 48-year-old African American woman, in the 500 block of State Street. Both victims were discovered with gunshot wounds inside a car that had rolled onto the sidewalk. Leon Perry was transported to Advocate Christ Medical Center in Oak Lawn, where he was pronounced dead at 6:33 p.m. His mother was taken to Franciscan Health in Hammond, Indiana, and was pronounced dead at 3:31 p.m. Both deaths were ruled homicides.
The investigation into the deaths of Leon Perry and his mother revealed that they were not the intended targets of the shooting. Community activist Andrew Holmes, who offered a $3,000 reward for information leading to the arrest and conviction of those responsible, suggested that the shooting might have been a case of mistaken identity. The shooters fired from a dark-colored Infinity FX-type vehicle that drove away west on State Street after the incident. The South Suburban Major Crimes Task Force was involved in the investigation, but as of the latest updates, no arrests had been made, and the case remained unsolved.
Leon Perry's death, along with his mother's, left a significant impact on their community. Seretse Robinson-Perry was a longtime employee at the Ford assembly plant in Chicago, known for her loving and caring nature. The tragic loss of both mother and son was deeply felt by their family and friends, who described them as inseparable and deeply connected. The investigation into their deaths continues, with authorities urging anyone with information to come forward to help bring justice to the victims and their grieving family.
