In a tragic turn of events on a Tuesday afternoon in Detroit, 17-year-old Corey Harris Thomas, a former student at Grosse Pointe North High School, lost his life in a fatal shooting. The incident, which occurred on June 6, 2017, revolved around an attempt to sell a pair of Air Jordan sneakers through an online listing. Corey had arranged to meet a potential buyer, a decision his mother had cautioned him against, at the corner of Fenkell and Pinehurst on the city's west side.
While sitting in a car, the transaction turned deadly, and Corey was shot and killed.
The investigation into the senseless killing quickly led authorities to a suspect. Dante Ford, then 20 years old, was arrested and subsequently charged in connection with Corey's death. It was revealed that this was not Ford's only alleged crime that day. Less than two hours before the fatal shooting and just two blocks away, Ford was accused of robbing a 16-year-old at gunpoint, also for a pair of Jordan shoes. Ford faced a total of nine felony charges, including murder, for the violent crime spree.
In the end, Dante Ford pleaded guilty to second-degree murder for the shooting death of Corey Harris Thomas. During the sentencing, the judge condemned Ford's actions, stating he lacked a moral compass. Corey's parents spoke in court about their profound loss and the efforts they had made to steer their son away from the dangers of the streets. Ford was sentenced to serve 28 to 50 years in prison for a life cut short over a pair of sneakers.
