Everick Lavon Blue Coleman, a 43-year-old African American man, was fatally shot on August 7, 2016, during his birthday party in Chicago, IL. The incident occurred in the 1300 block of West Hastings Street in the Near West Side neighborhood. Coleman was celebrating his birthday with a group of about 200 people when shots rang out around 2:20 a.m., hitting him in the head and chest. He was pronounced dead at the scene at 2:42 a.m.
A 40-year-old woman was also wounded in the shooting and was transported to a hospital in stable condition.
Coleman, known as "Blue," was remembered by his family and friends as a good father, grandfather, and someone who others looked up to. He was divorced and had four adult daughters, one of whom is in the U.S. Navy, and two young grandsons. Coleman grew up on the West Side of Chicago, attended Dunbar High School, and later took business classes at Malcolm X College. He worked in suburban real estate and held various part-time jobs, including as a cleaning supply salesman and a school security guard. During the 1990s, he managed a couple of rap bands and more recently had been involved in trying to start an organization to help teenage boys.
The shooting occurred at a block party where several friends were also celebrating their birthdays. The party began scattering when the shots were fired, causing panic among the attendees. Bullet casings and abandoned drink cups were found at the scene. The incident took place on the same block where another murder had occurred less than two months prior.
Despite the large number of witnesses, no arrests have been made in connection with Coleman's murder. Family members have continued to seek justice for him, returning to the spot where he was killed to shed tears, show resolve, and hunt for the killer. They have gone door-to-door in the surrounding University Village apartment complex, hoping someone could provide a clue that would lead police to the perpetrator. Area Central detectives are investigating the case, and police are encouraging anyone with information to come forward.
