In the quiet hours of a winter morning, the life of a promising Pittsburgh teenager was tragically cut short. Marcus Franchez Gibson Jr., a 15-year-old African American male, died on January 6, 2021, in the borough of Wilkinsburg, Pennsylvania. A sophomore at Propel High School in Braddock Hills, he was known for his gentle and quiet spirit, his respect for others, and his deep love for his family.
He was considered a soldier in his family, always looking out for his mother and two sisters.
The incident that led to Marcus's untimely death occurred shortly before 1 a.m. inside a home on Franklin Avenue. According to investigators, three juvenile males were handling a firearm when it discharged, striking Marcus. When police and paramedics arrived at the scene, they found him unresponsive. The Allegheny County Medical Examiner's office pronounced him dead at the residence.
An aspiring engineer with a keen interest in science and problem-solving, Marcus was well-liked by his fellow students. He was a member of the Warriors of Holiness in Power Church, where he had given his life to the Lord just a few months before his death. His family remembers him as his mother's best friend who, like many teenagers, enjoyed basketball and playing video games.
In the wake of the shooting, Allegheny County Police detectives launched an investigation and were in consultation with the District Attorney's Office. At the time of the initial reports, it was not immediately clear if any charges would be filed in connection with the fatal incident. Online sources and news reports in the years following the event have not publicly named any suspects or detailed any arrests in the death of Marcus Franchez Gibson Jr. The investigation into the circumstances of the shooting was ongoing, leaving his family and community to mourn the loss of a young man with a bright future.
