In the late hours of a cold Monday night in Muskegon Heights, Michigan, the life of 16-year-old McArthur Watt was tragically cut short. On February 13, 2017, the Black/African American teenager was shot in an alley near the 2300 block of Baker Street. Residents in the area reported hearing multiple gunshots, between six and ten, ring out around 10 p.m., followed by the sound of a vehicle speeding away from the scene.
McArthur, a former student at Muskegon Heights Public School Academy where he had played football, was not enrolled in school at the time of his death. He had recently expressed a desire to get away from the area and had told a friend's mother just that afternoon that he wanted to join the Army. Those who knew him described him as a good and happy person who didn't bother anyone. His death came just days before he would have celebrated his 17th birthday.
Following the shooting, McArthur was transported to a local hospital in a private vehicle, and hospital staff alerted the police at 10:30 p.m. Despite medical efforts, he succumbed to his injuries several hours later. The day after the shooting, family, friends, and community members gathered for a vigil to honor his memory and call for an end to gun violence.
The Muskegon Heights Police Department, assisted by three other agencies, launched an investigation into the homicide. Detectives searched the alley for evidence, but the circumstances leading to the shooting remain unclear. To date, authorities have not publicly identified any suspects or a motive in the case. No arrests have been made, and the investigation into the death of McArthur Watt remains ongoing. Police have urged anyone with information to come forward as they continue to seek justice for the slain teenager.
