Faizon Smith, an 18-year-old from Chicago, was killed on October 14, 2016, in the West Garfield Park neighborhood. His death was part of a particularly violent weekend in Chicago, during which eight people were killed and at least 40 others were wounded in shootings. Faizon was among the many young victims caught in Chicago’s ongoing struggle with gun violence. The year 2016 saw a significant spike in homicides, with 764 people murdered in the city.
This was largely attributed to gang activity and insufficient community policing measures to address violence hotspots.
