Dantrell Davis

Dantrell Davis (b. 1985 – October 13, 1992) was a 7–year old African American boy who was killed in a gang crossfire while walking to Jenner Elementary School with his mother in the Cabrini–Green housing project in the Near–North Side neighborhood on the north side of Chicago, Illinois in October 1992. His death sparked a city wide awakening to the violence happening in inner city projects. It also led to the first gang truce in Cabrini–Green, at the request of his mother. The truce lasted over three years.

Background

Shortly after 9 a.m on the morning of October 13, 1992, 7–year old first grader Dantrell Davis was walking from his home at 1117–19 N. Cleveland Ave (a Chicago Housing Authority 17–story high rise in the Cabrini Green housing project) with his mother Annette Freeman to Jenner Elementary School when he was shot by sniper fire. Davis was killed by a sniper bullet which came from 33–year old gang leader Anthony Garrett who was perched in a 10th floor apartment in the nearby 1157–59 N. Cleveland Ave building. Hours after Davis had been pronounced dead at Children's Memorial Hospital, Garrett was arrested. The following day, Garrett signed a 5 1/2 page confession stating that he was aiming to kill rival gang members when he accidentally shot Davis when he walked past his target. Garrett was indicted on first–degree murder charges on November 5, 1992 and sentenced to 100–years in prison on March 8, 1994.

Aftermath

On March 5, 1993, the street where he was shot and killed was named after him^[1] and remains there,^[2] even though the Cabrini–Green Housing Project has been demolished.^[3]

References

1. ↑ Cabrini Street Named For Dantrell Davis - Chicago Tribune
2. ↑ A legacy of violence: Remembering Dantrell Davis - Chicago Tribune
3. ↑ Tearing Down Cabrini–Green, Cabrini–Green Is Gone. Will The Replacement Work? - CBS News

External links

• Report of The Nieman Foundation for Journalism at Harvard University
• New York Times article