In the spring of 2011, a sense of hope was tragically cut short for 17-year-old Rashee Coleman. The young man had just returned to his Pittsburgh home for the Easter holiday after spending a year at a group home for troubled youths. His family was looking forward to a fresh start, with his mother, Shawntika Rice, preparing his favorite meal, spaghetti, to welcome him home.
She had dropped him off at a barbershop, a seemingly normal beginning to what should have been a joyous reunion.
Later that evening, on a Saturday in April, reports of gunfire shattered the peace in the Hill District. Near a wooded area around Ledlie Street and Memory Lane, Rashee was found with a fatal gunshot wound to the back of his head. According to police, he had been visiting people in the neighborhood earlier in the evening and at some point, had left on his own. Shortly after, the sound of shots rang out, and the teenager's life was abruptly ended.
In the immediate aftermath, police had not identified a motive for the killing and no arrests were made. His mother expressed her deep sorrow and confusion, stating that whatever the reason for the shooting, whether a dispute over money or something stolen, it could not justify the loss of her only child's life. As of late 2012, Rashee Coleman's murder remained an open and active investigation. Detectives had followed up on leads provided by his mother but kept encountering dead ends. His killer was believed to still be walking the streets, leaving a family to grapple with their profound loss and the absence of justice.
