At 14 years old, Akeal Christopher was supposed to be like any other kid, riding his bike in a safe neighborhood, learning to play football, and being a freshman in high school. Instead, the teenager's life was shot to death, and his murder remains unsolved.
Christopher’s mother’s world was turned upside down upon receiving a phone call that her son was in the hospital. The victim fought a good fight for two weeks before he was taken off life support on his 15th birthday.
Christopher dreamed of driving trains and working for the transit department one day.
On June 27, 2012, Christopher had been walking home when an assailant walked up and shot him in the back of the head. Though the fatal incident happened in front of some friends and family members, no one has come forward to identify the killer to date.
“I believe blood is on the hands of everyone that knew something and did nothing. I could look into these kids’ eyes and I can tell they are lying,” said Natasha Christopher during an anti-violence meeting in Brooklyn, according to WNYC.
Natasha Christopher now volunteers for Moms Demand Action and Everytown for Gun Safety as an advocate for gun safety. In addition, the victim’s brother Christopher Underwood, now 17, has also become a prominent voice at gun control marches.
“I speak out for Akeal and for everyone who has experienced gun violence, including the siblings who lose their brothers and sisters and other children whose voices aren’t always heard,” said Underwood at one of the events, reported The Guardian
Over 12,000 Americans die from gun violence daily, with blacks and African American boys being the majority of the victims.
Anyone with information that could break the case wide open can contact the NYPD 83rd Precinct Detective Squad at (718)574-1796.
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