Do you know who killed 20 year old John Lewis Kennedy? In the spring of 2017, on the afternoon of Good Friday, April 14th, the life of 20-year-old John Kennedy was tragically cut short in a hail of gunfire. A Black male, known to his loved ones as "JJ," Kennedy found himself in the midst of a violent shootout in the Loveman Village public housing community in Birmingham, Alabama.
The incident, which shattered the holiday's peace, reportedly involved two groups of people exchanging gunfire.
Residents in the area recounted hearing a barrage of over 30 shots, a terrifying soundtrack to the day's events. In the chaos, Kennedy was struck. Mortally wounded, he was being transported to Princeton Baptist Medical Center when he succumbed to his injuries.
In the immediate aftermath, Birmingham police descended on the scene, cordoning off the area and beginning their investigation. They confirmed that a shootout had occurred and that they were searching for a male suspect. Community members expressed their shock and sorrow, with some stating they had just spoken with Kennedy earlier that day. The violence left residents feeling unsettled and fearful, lamenting the loss of a young man they knew from the neighborhood.
Despite the initial investigation and pleas from community activists for an end to the violence, the case of John Kennedy's death remains one of Birmingham's unsolved homicides. No arrests have been made, and no suspects have been publicly identified in connection with the shooting that claimed the young man's life. The search for answers and justice for John Kennedy continues.
