In the winter of 2017 in Lexington, Kentucky, a young life was tragically cut short, leaving a community in mourning. Robert 'Bobby' Durrum, a 15-year-old male, was found late on a Wednesday night, lying in the road of the North Pointe subdivision with multiple gunshot wounds. He was rushed to the University of Kentucky Chandler Hospital, but succumbed to his injuries just after midnight on January 18, 2017.
A freshman at Lafayette High School, he was remembered as a caring and sweet individual who was well-liked by his peers and teachers.
The investigation into the shooting quickly led to a suspect, a 16-year-old acquaintance of Robert's. Investigators were aided by information provided by witnesses and, remarkably, by Robert himself before he passed away. The two teenagers had reportedly arranged to meet that evening through social media. A confrontation escalated into a physical fight, which ultimately led to the fatal shooting. The motive appeared to be robbery, as the suspect allegedly took an undisclosed amount of money from Robert before fleeing the scene and attempting to hide the firearm used in the commission of the crime.
Following the incident, the 16-year-old was taken into custody and charged with murder and robbery. The community, already grappling with a recent string of violence involving young people, was left heartbroken. Friends and family remembered Robert as someone who tried to make everyone laugh and stood up for his friends. In the days that followed his death, a vigil was held where attendees released balloons and lit candles in his memory, making pleas to end the cycle of gun violence that had taken another young life.
