
Llri5e1vckjdlx6xl1yl
To continue reading
Create a free account or sign in to unlock more free articles.
By continuing, you agree to the Terms of Service and acknowledge our Privacy Policy
Register
The content is free, but you must be subscribed to Okayplayer to continue reading.
THANK YOU FOR SUBSCRIBING
Join our newsletter family to stay tapped into the latest in Hip Hop culture!
Login
To continue reading login to your account.
Forgot your password?
Please enter the email address you use for your account so we can send you a link to reset your password:
(Source: Family photo, Washington Post)
On the evening of Dec. 18, a gunman shot 17-year-old Ballou High School sophomoreJames Anthony Smith on a basketball court at the Frederick Douglass Community Center, D.C. police say. He was found on a street a block away, shoeless, and died less than two hours later in the hospital. James’ mother, Benita Smith, said the assailant attacked her son for his sneakers.
READ: LeBron James Wore 'Equality' Sneakers Criticizing Trump At Washington D.C. Game
Smith paid $220 for the pair of bright red Nike Air Jordans, saying she allowed her son to have his Christmas gift early “because he asked and he’s a good kid.”
“He loved his red shoes. He loved basketball. He loved his computer games,” Smith told the Washington Post. “I can’t believe he was killed, all over a pair of shoes.”
Though police believe it may have been a robbery, an investigation is ongoing. No arrests have been made.
READ: Dave Chappelle Awarded With Key To The City Of Washington, DC
According to The Washington Post's report, James was the second student from Ballou to die in violence in 2017 and the sixth teen under the age of 18 killed this year in D.C.