Rodney Kyles Jr., age 19, was fatally stabbed on September 3, 2011, in Chicago's Lincoln Park neighborhood. He was attacked after attending a party, and the incident took place on the 1100 block of West Wrightwood Avenue. Kyles was a philosophy student at Roosevelt University and an aspiring musician. His final moments were controversial due to a blunt tweet posted shortly before his death, which led to criticism of the portrayal of his character in media reports.
His death sparked emotional reactions, especially within the community at Roosevelt University.
The incident drew attention from both local media and the Black Student Union at DePaul University, who were critical of how the last tweet was used in news coverage to frame his story, feeling it misrepresented who Kyles was as a person. He was remembered as a well-liked student with a passion for music, but the media coverage of his tweet caused many to feel it overshadowed his true personality and achievements.
