Raji Raven Hickenbottom, a 19-year-old male from Uniontown, PA, tragically died on August 9, 2017. He was involved in a physical altercation with another individual when a 16-year-old, Kaii McCargo, picked up a gun and fired a shot that struck Hickenbottom in the chest. He was immediately taken to Uniontown Hospital, where he was pronounced dead.
Following the incident, Kaii McCargo was taken into custody and charged with criminal homicide and possessing a gun as a minor. McCargo waived his homicide charges and agreed to transfer his case to juvenile court. The investigation revealed that the altercation began as a verbal argument at a house party, which escalated into a physical fight in the street.
Hickenbottom's death was particularly poignant as he was the brother of Michael Ellerby, a 12-year-old who was shot and killed by Uniontown State Police in 2002. Hickenbottom's father had previously settled a lawsuit against the state for over $12 million in connection with Michael's death.
The case drew significant attention due to the circumstances surrounding the shooting and the history of violence in the family. The community and Hickenbottom's family were left to grapple with the tragic loss and seek justice for Raji Raven Hickenbottom.
