Deaddrian Chapman was a 16-year-old African-American boy from Oakland, California, who was remembered by his family for his love of basketball and a talent for cracking jokes. He grew up in a close-knit home, raised alongside a younger brother and two cousins to whom he was extremely close. In the wake of his death, his older cousin, Nicole Jackson, reflected on the challenges of being a teenager. "He’s 16," she said. "Kids get in trouble. Kids try to be good."
The last night of Deaddrian's life was Saturday, October 30, 2010. He was in an East Oakland neighborhood, away from his own home, and police believed he may have just left a party in the area. At approximately 10:45 p.m., he was on his bicycle in the 2600 block of Ritchie Street, near Sunnyside Street. It was there that he was confronted by an unknown person and shot.
Emergency services rushed Deaddrian to Highland Hospital, but his injuries were too severe.
He was pronounced dead at 10:55 p.m., only ten minutes after the shooting occurred. The next day, the street near his family's home filled with dozens of friends and relatives. They gathered to mourn together, sharing hugs and tears as they processed the sudden loss of their loved one. "He was a good kid, and he will be loved," his cousin told reporters.
Deaddrian's death was registered as the 69th homicide in Oakland that year. Investigators began looking into the circumstances of the shooting, but a motive was not immediately clear. No suspects were identified, and no arrests were made. As of the last public update in October 2010, the murder of Deaddrian Chapman remains unsolved.
