Lasiah Palmer, a 15-year-old known in his West Side neighborhood for having a curfew, was committed to staying safe from street violence. Leaving a void in his family, Lasiah was a victim of the very threat his family worked hard to shield him from.
On Tuesday night, while enjoying the summer breeze on his back porch, Lasiah was fatally wounded. “He should have been safe in his own home,” said Billeka Palmer, his cousin, the day after Lasiah was found wounded.
Nicknamed “Spyda” by friends and family, Lasiah was discovered unconscious with a gunshot wound on a third-floor patio at his Austin home. Shortly after 1 a.m. Wednesday, officers received reports of a shooting in the 4600 block of West Jackson Boulevard. Lasiah was found with a gunshot wound to his head and taken to Stroger Hospital, where he was pronounced dead. The Cook County medical examiner ruled his death a homicide.
According to initial investigations, Lasiah had returned home with friends after swimming, showered, and reportedly spent time watching TV in his mother’s bedroom. His mother returned home just before 1 a.m. to find him bleeding on the porch, and witnesses had reported a commotion and loud noise hours before Lasiah was found.
Described as quiet and introverted, Lasiah was fond of his family. He rarely engaged with large crowds but relished time with his mother and younger brother. He had a love for sports and games and was looking forward to starting high school at Rowe-Clark Math and Science Academy in the coming month.
Billeka Palmer recalled their last meeting two months earlier during Mother’s Day, and reflected on the efforts made by Lasiah’s mother—Billeka’s first cousin—to keep her children away from street culture.
The Austin community leads Chicago with 18 homicides this year, among 233 overall. “His mother protected him as best as she could,” stated Billeka Palmer, highlighting open family discussions about the realities faced by young Black men. His mother declined to comment.
Weighing heavily on the family, Billeka noted, “To know Lasiah is to understand that Black children hold innocence deeply, devoid of cultural and media stereotypes.” In their grief, Lasiah’s family has started a GoFundMe to support funeral costs, amassing over $3,400.
Lasiah was more than just a name, his cousin Diamond Dortch shared on the GoFundMe page. He touched many lives with “a loving presence, warmth, and energy.” His unexpected death leaves a family and community grappling with unparalleled loss. Harrison Area detectives continue investigating the incident.