In the early morning hours of Friday, March 18, 2022, the life of 17-year-old Terez Parker Jr. was cut short on a street in South Bend, Indiana. A student at Rise Up Academy and an employee at the University of Notre Dame's South Dining Hall, Terez was also a devoted father to a young son. Known affectionately as 'Junior,' he was born on November 13, 2004, in South Bend and was a beloved son, brother, and friend to many.
His death, which resulted from a single gunshot wound to the abdomen, was ruled a homicide.
The events that led to Terez's tragic death unfolded on Roger Street, where police were called to a report of a shooting. Upon arrival, they found Terez lying wounded near the street. He was quickly transported to a local hospital, but he ultimately succumbed to his injuries. The investigation into the shooting revealed a complex situation involving a pre-arranged meeting for the sale of a handgun. Terez, along with another teenager, had reportedly arranged to buy the weapon from 16-year-old Rafael Diaz-Garcia.
According to witness statements and the subsequent investigation, the meeting took a violent turn when Terez, who was wearing a mask, and the other teen allegedly attempted to rob Diaz-Garcia of the firearm. A struggle ensued inside Diaz-Garcia's vehicle, during which he fired the shot that would prove fatal for Terez. In the immediate aftermath, Diaz-Garcia and another male who was in the car with him fled the scene. The teenager who had accompanied Terez initially tried to help him before also leaving before law enforcement arrived.
In the wake of the shooting, two juveniles were arrested in connection with Terez's death. Rafael Diaz-Garcia was charged with dangerous possession of a firearm and attempted providing of a firearm to an ineligible person. He was ultimately sentenced to six years, with three of those years to be served on probation. The other juvenile who was with Terez faced a delinquency petition for felony murder and attempted robbery.
