Raheem Jackson | Homicide Watch DC

WaPo: "Sometimes you can save everybody else's child but your own."

Laura Amico — Fri, 01 Jul 2011 11:01:12 -0400

WaPo's Avis Thomas-Lester today looks at the intersection at 13th Place and Congress Street SE, an intersection where 17 people have been killed in violent crime in the past decade.

Writes Thomas-Lester:

The two Southeast Washington women met in the 1970s as activists in their Anacostia neighborhoods. Their friendship grew as they pushed for better schools, programs for teenagers and more jobs. Together, they went into crack houses, coaxing addicts to return home to their families.

One woman, former D.C. Council member Sandy Allen, 67, turned to politics to help her community. The other, the Rev. Joyce Scott, 58, turned to faith.

Early on Jan. 2, tragedy brought them even closer. Scott’s grandson, Brian C. Scott, 21, was gunned down at 13th Place and Congress Street SE, becoming the city’s first homicide victim of 2011.

Five years earlier, Allen’s grandson, Jon Allen Jr., 15, was fatally shot on the same corner.

For the two grandmothers, the corner in the Congress Park neighborhood has become a shared reminder of personal loss. For the city, it is a grim symbol of the gun violence that has shattered so many families. Over the past decade, 17 people have been slain within a few yards of the intersection. The most recent was Ra-Heem Jackson, a 16-year-old basketball standout at H.D. Woodson High School who was shot April 7.

Six weeks ago, Scott forced herself to return to the corner. It was the first time she’d been back since Brian Scott was killed and another grandson, Tavon Bell, 21, was critically wounded.

With a microphone and a Bible, Scott brought out her church members, friends and as many residents as she could find for an anti-violence rally. They were there, she told the crowd, to “proclaim this street for peace.”

Sandy Allen was beside her.

“Sometimes you can save everybody else’s child but your own,” Scott said.

Read the whole story here.

Students Celebrate Raheem Jackson with Poetry

Laura Amico — Thu, 28 Apr 2011 19:19:17 -0400

Participants in HD Woodson's Poetry Slam in memory of Raheem Jackson with Jackson's mother NaClick Webb.

It's been three weeks since 16-year-old Raheem Jackson was shot and killed in Southeast D.C. and two weeks since his funeral. On Thursday his classmates remembered him with poetry.

It was apparent at the poetry slam in H.D. Woodson Senior High School's library that Jackson was many things to his classmates: a leader, a scholar, a basketball player, a poet.

"He would have been up here running the show," English teacher Kevin Bjerregaard said.

But now Jackson is other things, too. A warning. And an inspiration.

At a poetry slam in Jackson's memory in the school library on Thursday afternoon, 18-year-old 11th grader Ebonie Davis read her poem, "The Youth of DC," that she dedicated to Jackson. In it she writes about the daily horrors of growing up in parts of D.C. or, as she puts it, "the little things, that put an end to our days."

The poem was dedicated to Jackson, but "it could have been about anyone, basically," Davis said. "It's about what's going on with the youth of DC. People are getting jumped. People are getting killed. It kills everybody's spirit."

But Jackson's mother, NaClick Webb, told students Thursday that they must not let her son's death impede their resolve to complete their education.

Jackson, an honors student, had been awarded a $50,000 scholarship by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation and intended to go to college.

"Keep education first," Webb said. "It's the only way to get out."

Seven students recited original poems at the poetry slam Thursday, and about 300 more were in the audience. Students said the slam was a good way to honor Jackson, whose poem "Benning Road at Night," ran in the student newspaper printed just days after his death.

11th grader Ebonie Davis, first prize winner at the Raheem Jackson Poetry Slam

"I'm pretty sure he heard us," 17-year-old Michael Clark said.

Winners of the slam were selected by the student newspaper staff.

The winners were:

For written poetry: Ebonie Davis, Dion Wheeler and Shanita Wilson.

For performance poetry: Ebonie Davis, Queen Dews and Shanita Wilson.

Davis' poem in memory of Jackson follows.

The Youth of DC

The ones that don't live to grow old
always die young
at war of ourselves
and our journey has just begun
over little things like hoods and
stepped on jays.
These are the little things
that put an end to our days
Fighting and killing and you don't
have a clue
You are not just killing that person
but their friends and
family too.
Why must the good die young
the ones with a future
the ones with dreams ahead
have come all this way
to be laid on their back
a crimson red.
Our generation has fallen
soldiers falling tight and left
Why must we be pushed off a cliff
to our death.
We're pushing each other
that's the issue
come on now young people
what is with you?
But for now I'm going to take a moment
of silence
for all those who fallen victim to
the streets
in hopes of a better future
for the youth of D.C.

Teen "Person of Interest" in Raheem Jackson's Shooting Death

Laura Amico — Tue, 19 Apr 2011 09:09:09 -0400

An 18-year-old recently kicked out of an alternative school is a "person of interest" in Raheem Jackson's killing, the Washington Examiner reports.

MPD Capt. Michael Farish told the Examiner that "it is too soon to label" the teen a suspect. No arrests have been made.

The Examiner and the Washington Post have both reported that Jackson was trying to buy a gun or had bought a gun the day he was killed. The person he was buying from may have robbed and killed him in the process, the Examiner said.

"All the nightmares you have ever dreamed."

Laura Amico — Thu, 14 Apr 2011 22:55:22 -0400

Raheem Jackson's favorite quote came from Mohandas Gandhi, who said, "Live as if you were to die tomorrow, learn as if you were to live forever."

Friends and family are saying that that sentiment was how Jackson lived his life: applying himself passionately to his studies (he was a straight-A student with a $50,000 college scholarship already in the bank) to sports (he was a starting guard on his school's varsity basketball team and an avid Georgetown Hoyas fan) to community service (when a new teacher expressed fear of walking to a nearby Metro stop, Jackson walked the teacher there himself).

"He was a good kid," his cousin, Melissa Green Peterson said Thursday evening at a vigil in memory of Jackson. He was shot to death April 7 in the 1300 block of Congress Street SE.

Peterson said the family is anxious for police to find the person or people responsible for Jackson's death, and urged anyone who may have information, to call police.

"The way that he was murdered, people might be afraid to (speak up)," she said. "But if you loved him or knew him even a little, even if it's just the smallest thing, call or write a letter or send a note," she said.

More than 300 people, mostly students from HD Woodson High School, where Jackson was an 11th grader, gathered for that vigil, which at times more closely resembled a spirit assembly than a memorial service.

School Social Worker Jenise Murray, who planned the event, said getting the kids all together on the basketball court where Jackson played was important.

"For the week we've been disconnected," she said. "When we heard about Raheem's death, it rippled through our school, through the staff and through the students. We needed to do something to make the children feel like they are safe and comforted. They live in a society where death happens this way."

Murray pointed to a poem, by Jackson, which was published in Woodson's student newspaper, The Insider, this week. He wrote:

Walking Benning Road at night is like
being scarred on your first fight.
It's crazy. You are paranoid, cautions on every
turn. You hear a voice, turn around.
No one speaking a word.
walking through the dark street
you run away with a long distance scream.
You're running from dark faces you've seen,
all the nightmares you have ever dreamed.
It's just you facing reality as you get to your house
still in a daze, trying to figure out
what it's like to
walk down Benning Road.

A funeral service is planned for Jackson for Friday.

Funeral Friday for Raheem Jackson

Laura Amico — Wed, 13 Apr 2011 10:20:16 -0400

A funeral service for slain teen Raheem Jackson is planned for Friday at 9 a.m. at Allen Chapel AME, 2498 Alabama Avenue, according to Jackson's obituary.

A vigil is planned for Thursday night.

His obituary said:

Raheem was a beautiful young man with a contagious smile. He had a passion for sports and was a Georgetown Hoyas fan.

A Week of Candle Light

Laura Amico — Mon, 11 Apr 2011 17:02:21 -0400

Friends and families are mourning the violent deaths of six people who lost their lives in four days of violence last week. Vigils and memorials started over the weekend and are likely to continue throughout the week.

The victims are:

Shonell Corriea, aka Chris, a 22-year-old father from Northwest D.C. He was shot and killed in the 700 block of Quincy Street NW where he lived on Wednesday, April 6 at 9:40 p.m. Friends have planned a candlelight vigil for 6 p.m. tonight on Quincy Street NW.
Reginald L. Williams Jr, aka Buster, a 22-year-old man from Northeast D.C. He was shot and killed in a double shooting in the 700 block of Yuma Street SE on Wednesday, April 6 at 11:20 p.m.
Joshua Ruffin, aka Rocket, a 20-year-old Southeast D.C. man. He was shot and killed in a double shooting in the 700 block of Yuma Street SE on Wednesday, April 6 at 11:20 p.m. A candlelight vigil is planned for this evening.
Raheem Jackson, aka Gunna, a 16-year-old Southeast D.C. teen who attended HD Woodson High School and played on the basketball team. Jackson was shot and killed in the 1300 block of Congress Street SE where he lived on Thursday April 7 at 9:25 p.m. A candlelight vigil is planned for Thursday night at 7:30 p.m. at the Fort Davis Recreational Center.
William Parker, a 45-year-old man from Capitol Heights Maryland. He was shot and killed in the 2700 block of Elvans Road SE on Friday April 8 at 8:10 p.m.
Kevin Andre Washington, aka Junior, a 20-year-old Northwest D.C. man. He was shot and killed in the 100 block of Irving Street NW on Sunday April 10 at 12:21 a.m.

If you know of other memorials, vigils and services that you would like to add to this list, you can leave them in comments or email them to homicidewatchdc [at] gmail.com.

Vigil for Raheem "Gunna" Jackson Planned for Thursday

Laura Amico — Mon, 11 Apr 2011 13:51:48 -0400

A vigil in memory of 16-year-old Raheem Jackson is planned for Thursday evening (April 14) at 7:30 at the Fort Davis Recreational Center (pictured on the map above), according to ANC Commissioner Robert Jordan.

Metro PD Statement on the Death of 16-year-old Raheem Jackson

Chris Amico — Fri, 08 Apr 2011 15:32:23 -0400

DC police just released the following statement on the shooting death of 16-year-old Raheem Jackson, who was killed Thursday night in Congress Heights:

(Washington, DC) —Detectives from the Metropolitan Police Department’s Homicide Branch are investigating a homicide that occurred in the 1300 block of Congress Street, S.E.

On Thursday, April 7, 2011, at approximately 9:25 pm, members of the Seventh District responded to the report of a shooting in the 1300 block of Congress Street, S.E. Upon arrival on the scene, they found a juvenile male victim suffering from multiple gunshot wounds. Personnel from DC Fire and Emergency Medical Services responded to the scene and transported the victim to the hospital where he was subsequently pronounced dead.

The decedent is identified as 16-year-old, Raheem Jackson of the 1300 block of Congress Street S.E.

Anyone with information about this case is asked to call the police at (202) 727-9099 or 1-888-919-CRIME (1-888-919-2746).
The Metropolitan Police Department currently offers a reward of up to $25,000 to anyone that provides information which leads to the arrest and conviction of the person or persons wanted for any homicide committed in the District of Columbia.
Additionally, anonymous information may be submitted to DC CRIME SOLVERS at 1-866-411-TIPS and to the department’s TEXT TIP LINE by text messaging 50411. If the information provided by the caller to the Crime Solvers Unit leads to an arrest and indictment, that caller will be eligible for a reward of up to $1,000.

16-Year-Old Killed in Congress Heights Shooting

Laura Amico — Fri, 08 Apr 2011 10:28:00 -0400

A shooting in Congress Heights Thursday night killed a 16-year-old boy, the Washington Post is reporting.

Friends of the teen identified him on Facebook and Twitter as Raheem "Gunna" Jackson, an HD Woodson High School student, a point guard on the school's basketball team and a Georgetown fan.

DC Fire and EMS responded to the 1300 block of Congress Street at around 9:30 p.m. and transported one male with a life-threatening traumatic injury.

A lookout was issued for a black male with black clothing shortly after the shooting.

"RIP Raheem," posted @RealrariTee on Twitter.