Gun Violence 258
Wayne Elliss Jr., 22: More than 20 years later, his family still awaits justice
With his red hair and light eyes, Wayne Francis Elliss Jr.’s Irish heritage was obvious. And he was proud of it. “He thought he came from Dublin,” his aunt Dawn Squares-Adams said, laughing. “He was all about being Irish.” Wayne graduated from North Catholic High School in 1998, and his daughter Haley was born that […]
Shawn Bonaparte, 22: ‘We grew up together,’ mom says
When Shawn Bonaparte was a student at Tanner Duckrey School in North Philadelphia, a commissioner of the Philadelphia Police Department took him under his wing. Shawn was chosen for the program because when he was 4, and his father had been sentenced to life in prison. “That played a major role in Shawn’s life,” his […]
Josue Rosario, 29, planned to move to Florida to be with his family
The night that Josue Rosario and Nakesha Rodriguez met, they were both 19 and in a VIP area of a club in Philadelphia. “He was trying to get me to sit on his lap and I said, ‘No, I don’t know you,’” she said with a laugh. “The moment we first met, we were arguing.” […]
Quaheed Bailey, 21, a laid-back guy who enjoyed cutting hair
The above image, Quaheed: I Was Blessed, was created by artist Linnie Greenberg as part of the 2021-2022 Souls Shot Portrait Project exhibition. _____________________________________________________________________________ Quaheed Bailey had style. He cared about his appearance, his mother Erica Dixon said, and he liked to help others look good, too, by cutting their hair. He enjoyed giving his […]
Nearly 16 years later, heartache lingers for John Jewell, 22
John Jewell darted toward the small waves crashing on the beach as he and his friends arrived in Wildwood one summer day in 2002. It was John’s first time at the Jersey shore, and his friends loved watching the then-21-year-old’s first-ever swim in the ocean. Then John’s shorts fell off. “He looked down, then looked […]
Symir Walker, 16, dreamed of playing basketball for the Temple Owls
Symir Rasheed Walker’s life was short, but the impact he made on others was huge. His mother, Allissa Jackson, attended a support group luncheon in which a psychologist was a guest speaker. He talked about a young man whose murder promoted numerous people to see him to process their grief. “I came to find out […]
Yohannon Alexander, 23, a car enthusiast, good friend and devoted father
Yohannon Shemuel Alexander had a spark about him that made people want to be in his presence. “He was the type of person who drew people to him like a magnet, regardless of their age, sex or nationality,” his mother Regina Neely said. “That’s the type of spirit he had. He was very comical and […]
Troy Smith Jr., 23, aspiring corrections officer whose death started another family tradition
The above sculpture, Troy Smith Jr., was created by artist Laura Frazure as part of the 2021-2022 Souls Shot Portrait Project exhibition. _____________________________________________________________________________ Troy Smith Jr. was all about family. He had close relationships with his siblings and other relatives, and spending time with them was a top priority. “Anything that had to do with […]
James Kennedy, 22, a proud father who planned a career in HVAC
James Javar “JJay” Kennedy was always running late. He would say he’d be somewhere in five minutes, and show up hours later. The birth of his daughter Myla in May 2016 changed that. “It made him more mature. He had to grow up,” his sister Marquita Kennedy said. “He became more effective, he became more […]
Lylliana Mendoza, 35, dreamed of a better life
Lylliana Mendoza was always smiling and laughing, but her sister said it was to hide her pain. Lily, as everyone called her, had been a victim of domestic violence at the hands of the man she lived with in Fairhill for about three years, according to her sister, Alexandra Mendoza. During the summer of 2017, […]
Kelvin Ray, 35, family man and firefighter
After nine years as a firefighter and medic with the Philadelphia Fire Department, Kelvin Ray was ready to make a change. “He wanted his own business,” said Taylor Kelly, his girlfriend of four years. “That was his goal. That was his dream. He didn’t want to work for anyone.” Kelvin had enrolled in a building […]
Nasir Debnam, 21: ‘My son wanted to change,’ mom says
Nasir Debnam was an outgoing guy who loved to dance and joke around. He enjoyed playing basketball and riding dirt bikes, but but most of all, he loved his friends. If Nasir loved you, his mother Schwana Debnam said, it means he saw something special in you. So when he lost two close friends to […]
Martin Alicea, 29, a family man who had coffee with his mother every morning
Every morning, Luis Martin Alicea would go to his parents’ house for coffee. He loved how his mother Elsa made it, his cousin Jessie Alejandro-Cruz said. Now, Elsa has continued this tradition, but in a different way. Martin, a talented baseball player, music producer and father of five, had just gotten a haircut on the […]
Ryan Dillon, 17, a Mummer who dreamed of being a comedic chef
The above image, Rydill, was created by artist Elena Cipolia as part of the 2021-2022 Souls Shot Portrait Project exhibition. ______________________________________________________________________________ From the time Ryan Dillon could walk, he was a comedian. He would do anything, including physical comedy stunts, to make people laugh. He also “ate like it was his job,” his mother […]
Raheem Brown, 28, a loving father of five with 10 siblings of his own
Raheem Brown had a lot of love in his life. He was the father of five children and he doted on them. He was also engaged to a woman he had been with for nine years, and he was one of 11 siblings in a tight-knit family. He’ll never be able to finally get married […]
Most viewed
