Anthony Kyle Alexander II, a 28-year-old Black male, was in his room at his Inkster, Michigan, home on the evening of January 12, 2019, when his life was irrevocably altered. Just before 9 p.m., the sound of approximately five gunshots echoed from a block away, a harbinger of the tragedy that was about to unfold. Bullets pierced the walls of Anthony's family home, as well as the house next door. One of these stray projectiles found its way into Anthony's room, striking him.
His mother, Sanena Alexander, hearing the gunfire and the subsequent screech of a car speeding away, immediately checked on her daughter and grandchildren before going to her son's room. Opening the door, she discovered Anthony on the floor, initially unaware of the severity of the situation and that he had been shot. He was rushed to a nearby hospital for medical attention. Despite the efforts of medical professionals, his injuries were too severe. Twenty-four hours after the shooting, Anthony was declared brain dead and was removed from life support on January 13, 2019. In the midst of their grief, his family found a small measure of solace in the decision to donate his organs, allowing his life to give hope to others.
Michigan State Police launched an investigation into the shooting, believing it to be the result of a rolling shootout between two vehicles. Investigators have considered the possibility that the incident was drug or gang-related, a theory bolstered by three other shootings that occurred in the same vicinity the following day, which resulted in two non-fatal injuries. Although the police received several tips from the community, no arrests have been made in connection with the death of Anthony Kyle Alexander II, and no suspects have been publicly identified. The investigation into the senseless act of violence that cut short a young life remains ongoing.
