Mbiganyi Lashani, a 41-year-old man originally from Botswana, was fatally shot on July 29, 2016, in the Englewood neighborhood of Chicago. The incident occurred at around 5:58 a.m., and responding officers found Lashani unresponsive at the scene in the 6500 block of South Peoria. He was pronounced dead shortly thereafter, with an autopsy revealing that he died from multiple gunshot wounds. His death was ruled a homicide.
Lashani had resided in the United States for over a decade and lived in the East Garfield Park neighborhood. He was well-educated, having studied at DePaul University and Keller Graduate School of Management, and worked as a substitute teacher in Chicago, including at Proviso East High School in Maywood. Friends and family described Lashani as humble, generous, and multi-talented. He was an active member of the community and had even worked on a local TV project called "Culturevate" to foster positive narratives.
A GoFundMe campaign was set up to raise funds to send his body back to Botswana for a traditional burial, reflecting his family’s desire to honor their cultural customs. Mbiganyi's passing was mourned deeply by the community, highlighting both his personal achievements and the senselessness of gun violence that continues to plague Chicago neighborhoods.
