In the spring of 2021, the life of 16-year-old Jaquice Nasir Ja Kearney was tragically cut short in a senseless act of gun violence in Roanoke, Virginia. A student at Patrick Henry High School with aspirations of becoming an engineer, Jaquice was remembered by his mother as a loving and respectful young man who was deeply cared for by his family and friends.
He was his mother's youngest of four children.
On the afternoon of April 26, 2021, near the intersection of 30th Street and Salem Turnpike NW, Jaquice and another teenager were shot. Both were rushed to the hospital, but Jaquice succumbed to his injuries. In the immediate aftermath, the community was shaken, and city leaders spoke out against the rising tide of youth violence. The pain for Jaquice's family was compounded when graphic images of the shooting's aftermath circulated on social media before they could be officially notified.
The investigation into the shooting led to the swift apprehension of two juveniles. One of the individuals, a 15-year-old at the time of the incident, was charged with second-degree murder, aggravated assault, and two counts of using a firearm in the commission of a felony. Police indicated that all individuals involved were known to each other. For Jaquice's mother, the knowledge that her son was allegedly betrayed by someone he considered a friend was a source of profound frustration and sorrow.
In July 2022, the legal process moved toward a resolution when the suspect, then 16 years old, pleaded guilty to second-degree murder in connection with Jaquice's death. The plea was entered in a Roanoke court, bringing a measure of accountability for the young life that was lost. While the plea marked a significant step in the case, the details of the sentencing that followed the plea were not widely publicized, leaving the final chapter of this tragic story within the confines of the juvenile justice system.
