Thousands Gather to Mourn the Death of A Chicago Teen

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Mourners line up to enter the funeral for Derrion Albert. Photo: CNN

More than 1,000 mourners packed a South Side Chicago church Saturday to  lay 16-year-old beating victim Derrion Albert to rest. According to CNN, funeral attendees included Chicago Police Superintendent Jody Weis, Chicago Public Schools CEO Ron Huberman, Nation of Islam Minister Louis Farrakhan, and Rev. Jesse Jackson.

“The killings keep coming — one need not to be guilty to be killed in this war zone,” Jackson told reporters before the service Saturday at the Greater Mount Hebron Baptist Church in South Side Chicago. “We must declare a state of emergency. We have an obligation to prepare for our children safe passage.” [Source]

The brutal beating of Albert, a Fenger High School honor student, captured on video has caused a public outcry to quell the ongoing teen violence that is not only plaguing the city but also the nation.

Albert became the latest face of teen violence after walking into a fight between two feuding teen groups on his way home from school. He was beaten with railroad ties and kicked by a mob before becoming unconscious. After briefly regaining consciousness, he was attacked by a second group of teens. Albert was taken to Roseland Community Hospital and then to Advocate Christ Hospital and Medical Center, where he was pronounced dead.

At press time, four suspects have been charged with first-degree murder in Albert’s killing and Chicago Police are looking for three more in connection with the beating.

The national coverage of the incident has prompted President Obama to send Attorney General Eric Holder and Education Secretary Arne Duncan to Chicago to search for solutions.

But Chicagoans feel that the solutions start at home. Recently the city united in a failed  attempt to bring the 2016 Olympic games to the area. Many believe that if unity is possible in that regard, then it is now time to shift the city’s priorities to more important initiatives.

“If we can imagine bringing the 2016 games here, maybe by 2016, we’ll have some measurable decrease and decline in youth violence in Chicago,”  Bishop T. Lane Grant of Greater First Church said.

Albert’s sister, 11-year-old Rhaea, told CNN on Thursday that she looked up to her big brother, and now wants to be an even better student in his honor.

But his death haunts her.

“I’m kind of nervous to go outside these days because of what happens to kids now,” she said. “Kids around my age … they could still get hurt, no matter what.”

Tagged as: Death, Derrion Albert, Teen Violence

Article by Jenifer Moore

Jenifer serves as Editorial Director for The FreshXpress. A native of the Queen City, writing is her muse and she thrives on the Public Relations scene. While she is a lover of all music, she lives by the Biggie mantra "Sky is the Limit".

Jenifer has written 53 article(s) for us.