Derrick DiJon Page, a 23-year-old African American male from Plainfield, Illinois, tragically lost his life on September 5, 2015, after being shot in Aurora, Illinois. Derrick, who was just days away from his 24th birthday, was attending a large party at a rental hall on North Lake Street when a disturbance broke out. The altercation spilled outside, leading to a fight on the east side of Lake Street. During the chaos, Derrick was struck in the back of the head by a bullet.
He was pronounced dead the following morning at Advocate Good Samaritan Hospital in Downers Grove.
Derrick was known for his peaceful nature and his advocacy against violence. He had played football at Aurora University and was an aspiring musician. His family described him as a peacemaker who was trying to help a friend escape the scene when he was shot. The Page family had moved to the suburbs to avoid the violence in Chicago, and Derrick had been vocal about wanting people to put down their guns and stop the violence.
The investigation into Derrick's death led to the arrest of Marquitte L. West, a 22-year-old African American male from Aurora. West was charged with three counts of first-degree murder. According to the police, West was an uninvited guest at the party and had fled to Virginia after the shooting. He was eventually brought back to Illinois and held in the Will County jail on unrelated charges. In January 2019, West pleaded guilty to first-degree murder and was sentenced to 27 years in prison. He must serve his full sentence under state law, with credit for the time he had already served in jail.
The case highlighted the senseless nature of the violence that claimed Derrick's life. Aurora University and the local community expressed their condolences to Derrick's family, mourning the loss of a young man who had a bright future ahead of him. The investigation and subsequent legal proceedings brought some measure of justice for Derrick's family, but the pain of his loss remains.
