Fifteen-year-old Brian Murdock attended Robeson High School. This was a difficult day for the elder Murdock he cleaned out his son's locker.
With just about two months left in the school year Chicago has already surpassed last year's total homicide count. Two teenage boys shot and killed during a fight on an Englewood street last Thursday were the latest victims. Both attended Robeson High School in the Englewood community. The father of one of the boys is asking for the violence to stop.
"It has been hard real hard on us...something needs to be done to stop all this killing," said James Murdock.
James Murdock attempted to go into the school Wednesday morning to clean out his son's locker but was informed by school officials the locker had already been cleaned out. He says he wants to meet with Chicago Public Schools CEO Arne Duncan.
"What can we do to prevent all this stuff, with the kids, prevent all this violence? All this fighting and stuff? School's for the kids and not to fight and kill each other," said James Murdock.
Wednesday morning, Rev. Michael Pfleger and members of the faith community of St. Sabina gathered at the State of Illinois Building to mourn the deaths of the two Robeson High School students.
"We've lost 16 children, 82 children shot. At the same time that our children being gunned down in the city, we are begging our legislators for God's sake pass some legislation," said Rev. Michael Pfleger, St. Sabina Church.
The adoptive father of 15-year-old Brian Murdock says his son was shot in the head. He was found Thursday night slumped against a fence near 63rd and South Laflin streets. The Robeson high school freshman was still wearing his school uniform.
Mr. Murdock says on Thursday morning he made his son breakfast and his son told him he was afraid to go to school .
"He was saying he was going to get killed," said James Murdock. "I said I would bring him to school and he didn't want me to do it."
Murdock says his beloved 15-year-old loved art, doing animation and boxing.
"He wanted to be a cartoonist and boxer. He never was in trouble...I want the killer to turn himself in so that this will not happen again," said James Murdock.
"Maybe the media will get this out to other people so they can find who did this to Brian," said Rosa Davis, family friend.
Mr. Murdock says he is hoping to convince Arne Duncan to form reduce the violence clubs in all Chicago Public Schools.
A fund has been set up for Brian Murdock Fund for Violence Prevention in Schools at Park National Bank.
Funeral services for Brian Murdock will be held on Friday, November 14 at Gatling Funeral Home.
