Chicago’s skateboarding community is mourning the loss of a 16-year-old skateboarder who was shot near Grant Park’s skatepark Wednesday night.
All the homies gathered at the park Thursday to remember the teenager, who went by the nickname “Clutch.”
Those close to him described him as a talented young skater who had become an important part of their group.
For the core heads, he was much more than someone they met at the skatepark.
Naseer Alshareef said Clutch felt like a younger brother to him, describing their relationship as being connected by blood even though they did not share the same mother.
“He [was] really like a little brother,” Alshareef said. “Like we're not from the same mother, but that's my blood.”
Chicago police said officers responded shortly after 9 p.m. Wednesday to the 1100 block of South Michigan Avenue after the teenager was found with a gunshot wound to the neck.
He was taken to Northwestern Memorial Hospital in serious condition, where he later died from his injuries.
The shooting happened close to Soldier Field, where Inter Miami CF had just played the Chicago Fire FC. Police activity unfolded around the same time soccer fans were beginning to leave the stadium following the match.
Alshareef said he had already left the skatepark before the shooting occurred.
He later learned about the incident from another friend who had been there and managed to get away from the gunfire.
By Thursday, the spot at Grant Park was completely different.
The place where Clutch and his homies spent time skating had become a gathering spot for people trying to process the loss of someone they considered part of their family.
At just 16 years old, Clutch had already built friendships within the local skate scene that extended well beyond simply meeting up to skate.
His homies remembered his personality, his ability on a board, and the connection he had with the people around him.