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Murder of Derrion Albert

SOLVED2009Near Christian Fenger Academy High School, Chicago, Illinois3 SOURCESUPDATED JUL 2026
Derrion Albert, the 16-year-old victim
Derrion Albert, the 16-year-old victim — Credit: Copyrighted — editorial use

On September 24, 2009, Derrion Albert, a 16-year-old student, was walking near Christian Fenger Academy High School on Chicago's South Side when he was drawn into a violent confrontation between two groups of students from the Altgeld Gardens and The Ville neighborhoods. During the melee, he was beaten by several individuals using pieces of a railroad tie, and he died as a result of his injuries. The attack was captured on amateur video footage that was obtained by Chicago television station WFLD and subsequently broadcast widely across traditional and online media outlets.

In the aftermath, police arrested four individuals — Silvonus Shannon, Eric Carson, Eugene Riley, and Eugene Bailey — who were each charged with first-degree murder. Charges against Bailey were later dropped following further investigation. By 2011, five individuals had been convicted in connection with Albert's death: Shannon, Carson, Riley, Lapoleon Colbert, and a minor whose identity was not publicized. The adult defendants received prison sentences ranging from 26 to 32 years.

The widespread circulation of the video footage drew significant national attention to the case and to broader concerns about youth violence in Chicago. In response, President Barack Obama dispatched U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder and Secretary of Education Arne Duncan to Chicago to discuss the issue of youth violence with then-Mayor Richard M. Daley. Secretary Duncan was also interviewed on CNN by Anderson Cooper regarding violence in the city.

The case and its media coverage became a notable part of the 2011 Steve James documentary "The Interrupters," which followed the work of the antiviolence organization CeaseFire. Rapper Nas wrote an open letter addressed to Chicago youth in response to the killing. The case also inspired a 2014 short film titled "Perfect Day," written and directed by Derrick Sanders, which featured a Derrion-inspired composite character and was co-executive produced by Chadwick Boseman.

Key facts

Victims
Derrion Albert
Date
2009
Location
Near Christian Fenger Academy High School, Chicago, Illinois
Case status
solved

Case timeline

  1. 2009-09-24

    Derrion Albert is beaten to death near Christian Fenger Academy High School on Chicago's South Side after being drawn into a brawl between rival student factions.

  2. 2009-09-28

    Video footage of the beating receives widespread news coverage, drawing national attention to the case.

  3. 2011

    By this year, five individuals had been convicted in connection with Albert's death; adult defendants received sentences ranging from 26 to 32 years.

  4. 2011

    The documentary 'The Interrupters,' directed by Steve James, is released, featuring coverage of the case.

  5. 2014

    The short film 'Perfect Day,' inspired by the case and directed by Derrick Sanders, is released.

Best coverage

No approved coverage links are attached yet.

People

  • Eric Carson

    CONVICTED

    Charged with first-degree murder and convicted in connection with Albert's death; received a prison sentence between 26 and 32 years.

  • Eugene Bailey

    CHARGED

    Initially arrested and charged with first-degree murder; charges were later dropped following further investigation.

  • Silvonus Shannon

    CONVICTED

    Charged with first-degree murder and convicted in connection with Albert's death; received a prison sentence between 26 and 32 years.

  • Derrion Albert

    VICTIM

    16-year-old student beaten to death on September 24, 2009, after being drawn into a brawl between rival student factions.

  • Eugene Riley

    CONVICTED

    Charged with first-degree murder and convicted in connection with Albert's death; received a prison sentence between 26 and 32 years.

  • Lapoleon Colbert

    CONVICTED

    Convicted in connection with Albert's death by 2011; received a prison sentence between 26 and 32 years.

Roles reflect public records and court outcomes at the time of writing — supporting citations are on file under Sources.

Archival records

  • Derrion Albert, the 16-year-old victim

    portrait victim

    Derrion Albert, the 16-year-old victim

    Credit: Copyrighted — editorial use · Source

Places

Near Christian Fenger Academy High School, Chicago, Illinois

41.6889, -87.6089

View on the map

Common questions

What happened to the victim?
Derrion Albert, a 16-year-old Chicago student, was beaten to death on September 24, 2009, after being pulled into a brawl between rival student factions near Christian Fenger Academy High School; the attack, captured on video, prompted national attention and multiple convictions.
Where did the murder happen?
Near Christian Fenger Academy High School, Chicago, Illinois.
Who was convicted?
Eric Carson (Charged with first-degree murder and convicted in connection with Albert's death; received a prison sentence between 26 and 32 years.), Silvonus Shannon (Charged with first-degree murder and convicted in connection with Albert's death; received a prison sentence between 26 and 32 years.), Eugene Riley (Charged with first-degree murder and convicted in connection with Albert's death; received a prison sentence between 26 and 32 years.), and Lapoleon Colbert (Convicted in connection with Albert's death by 2011; received a prison sentence between 26 and 32 years.).
What is the current status of the case?
Status: solved. Last verified July 2026.
More cases in Illinois

Sources

  1. ENCYCLOPEDICMurder of Derrion AlbertWikipedia · 2026-07-05
  2. PRESSContemporaneous coverage — CNNCNN · 2026-07-05
  3. PRESSContemporaneous coverage — The New York TimesThe New York Times · 2026-07-05

Record history

First published
JUL 05, 2026
Last verified against sources
JUL 05, 2026

  1. JUL 13, 2026Source review

    Source article revised on Wikipedia — flagged for re-verification

    Source