Juwan D Kemp

Juwan D. Kemp, a 26-year-old Black man known to friends and family as "Juju" or "Juboo," was remembered for his laid-back personality. He was building a life in his native Chicago, having attended several local schools, including John Hope College Prep, Simeon Career Academy, Kennedy-King College, and Chicago State University. He had worked for the United States Postal Service and at a Roti restaurant. His loved ones described him as a son, a cousin, and a best friend whose loss left a profound void in their lives.

On the night of Tuesday, January 17, 2017, Juwan was driving through the Austin neighborhood on Chicago's West Side. At approximately 11:27 p.m., as his vehicle proceeded north in the 100 block of North Central Avenue, just past Washington Boulevard, another vehicle described as a black SUV pulled alongside him. Someone inside the SUV opened fire, striking Juwan multiple times in the head and body. According to the Chicago Police and the Cook County medical examiner's office, he was pronounced dead at the scene at 11:42 p.m. Juwan, who lived in the West Pullman neighborhood on the city's Far South Side, became another victim of the gun violence that plagued the city.

The shooting was one of several violent incidents that occurred across Chicago that day, which saw two other men killed and at least ten other people wounded in separate attacks. The day's violence followed a particularly brutal Martin Luther King Jr. holiday weekend, during which 39 people were shot, 10 of them fatally. Neighbors who gathered near the crime scene where Juwan was killed spoke of the neighborhood's recent surge in violence, with one remarking to a reporter, "News trucks might as well park around the corner."

The Chicago Police Department launched a homicide investigation into Juwan's death. Detectives processed the scene on North Central Avenue, but the assailant had fled in the black SUV immediately after the shooting. In the days and weeks that followed, authorities released few details about the investigation, and no suspects were publicly identified or taken into custody. The motive for the shooting remains unknown.

In the years since Juwan's murder, his case has grown cold, with no arrests made and no charges filed. His death is a painful, unresolved chapter for his family and friends. Their grief and love are still palpable on online memorial pages, where they continue to light virtual candles and leave messages. "I miss my best friend dearly," one person wrote. Others posted, "I MISS YOU JUBOO I LOVEE YOUU JUBOO," and "i miss you cousin so much i love you." One heartbreaking message simply reads, "LOVE YOU SON."

As of early 2017, the investigation into the murder of Juwan Kemp remained open but inactive. Authorities have not announced any new leads, persons of interest, or arrests in connection with the case. His family continues to wait for justice while keeping his memory alive. The case is one of many unsolved homicides in Chicago, a city grappling with the persistent challenge of gun violence that has left countless families searching for answers and closure.