In the warm summer night of August 9, 2021, the life of 19-year-old Elvin Dubie Hollinger II was tragically cut short in his hometown of Flint, Michigan. Known to his loved ones as 'Dubie,' he was at a large gathering at Broome Park when gunfire erupted shortly after midnight. In the ensuing chaos, six people were shot. Hollinger, a male, was one of two victims who succumbed to their injuries that night, the other being 18-year-old Alyssa Rose McMahon.
Hollinger was remembered by his
family and friends as a vibrant young man with a deep love for his family and a passion for sports, particularly basketball and football. He was an employee at Albar Industries and in his free time, he enjoyed working on his car. His sudden and violent death sent shockwaves through the community, leaving his family, including his parents Chereathe and Elvin Sr., and his fiancée, grappling with an immeasurable loss.
In the wake of the shooting, the Flint Police Department and Michigan State Police began an investigation that led to the arrest of a suspect. Breon Walters, who was 18 at the time, was taken into custody and faced over a dozen felony charges, including two counts of first-degree murder for the deaths of Hollinger and McMahon. Despite the arrest, the legal process has been fraught with delays. As of early 2022, a trial date for Walters had yet to be set, prolonging the anguish for Hollinger's family as they continue their wait for justice.
The community has gathered in the years since the tragedy to honor Hollinger's memory through balloon releases and memorial services, celebrating the life of a young man full of potential that was senselessly taken. His family continues to navigate their grief while holding onto the hope that they will one day see accountability for the act that forever changed their lives.
