On a warm summer night in Providence, Rhode Island, the life of 23-year-old Dimitri Perry, a Black / African American male, was cut tragically short. In the early morning hours of July 6, 2015, a sense of dread filled Dimitri as he drove along Interstate 95. He was on the phone with his mother, Annette Perry, and in a frightened voice, told her he was being chased by another vehicle. The conversation would be their last.
His final words to her were, "I love you.".
Seeking refuge, Dimitri drove to a friend's house on Nebraska Street. As he got out of his car, the terror that had been following him caught up. Over the phone, his mother heard the harrowing sounds of her son's final moments. She heard him walking quickly, the sounds muffled, and then the distinct pop of a gunshot. Dimitri cried out, "They're shooting at me," and then she heard two more shots. He was struck by the gunfire and after two days on life support, Dimitri Perry succumbed to his injuries. He became the city's eighth homicide victim of the year.
In the wake of the shooting, the Providence Police launched a homicide investigation. Dimitri's mother could only provide a sliver of a clue: her son had told her the car chasing him was black. He was not able to see the license plate. Despite the passage of time, Dimitri's murder remains an unsolved cold case. Law enforcement has expressed hope that someone in the community will come forward with the key piece of information needed to bring those responsible to justice. To this day, no arrests have been made, and no suspects have been publicly identified in connection with the shooting. The case, which police have suggested might be gang-related, has left a permanent void in the lives of his family, who continue to wait for answers and closure.
