On a Saturday evening in Lawrence, Kansas, the life of 14-year-old Kamarjay "KJ" Shaw, a Black/African American male, was tragically cut short on March 18, 2023. A student at Lawrence High School, he was known for his love of football, basketball, and making people laugh. His family remembers him as a joyful and humble young man with a big heart, who once saved his cousin's life by performing CPR.
The events that led to his death began with an ongoing feud between Kamarjay and another
teenager, 17-year-old Derrick Del Reed. On that fateful day, a teenage girl reportedly used Snapchat to lure Kamarjay and his friends outside, stating that Reed wanted to fight. When Kamarjay and his friends arrived near Reed's home, the situation escalated. Video footage later showed Kamarjay running away when he was shot in the back. He was rushed to a local hospital but ultimately succumbed to his injuries.
Following the shooting, Derrick Del Reed turned himself in to the Lawrence Police Department. He was charged with first-degree murder and, due to the violent nature of the crime, was to be tried as an adult. During pre-trial hearings, it was revealed that Reed had sent racially charged and threatening Snapchat messages prior to the shooting, in which he used racial slurs and spoke of his intention to start shooting. Despite these messages and the testimony of a witness who was almost certain they saw Reed pull the trigger, the defense argued that Reed acted in self-defense.
In March 2024, a Douglas County jury acquitted Derrick Del Reed of first-degree murder and all lesser charges. The verdict was met with shock and anguish from Kamarjay's family and supporters, who felt that justice had not been served. Another young man, Owen Gage Walker, who was with Reed at the time of the shooting, was later charged with obstruction of justice for providing false information to the police during their investigation. He pleaded no contest and was sentenced to probation. The case record for Derrick Del Reed has since been expunged.
