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Solved case · 2009
Also known as Killing of Derrion Albert
The short answer
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.
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Suggest coverage for Murder of Derrion AlbertThe case file
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.
5 dated entries · 2009–2014
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.
Video footage of the beating receives widespread news coverage, drawing national attention to the case.
By this year, five individuals had been convicted in connection with Albert's death; adult defendants received sentences ranging from 26 to 32 years.
The documentary 'The Interrupters,' directed by Steve James, is released, featuring coverage of the case.
The short film 'Perfect Day,' inspired by the case and directed by Derrick Sanders, is released.
6 named in this file
Victims first. Every legal label is set from public records and court outcomes, not from the prose.
16-year-old student beaten to death on September 24, 2009, after being drawn into a brawl between rival student factions.[3]
Charged with first-degree murder and convicted in connection with Albert's death; received a prison sentence between 26 and 32 years.[3]
Charged with first-degree murder and convicted in connection with Albert's death; received a prison sentence between 26 and 32 years.[3]
Convicted in connection with Albert's death by 2011; received a prison sentence between 26 and 32 years.[3]
Charged with first-degree murder and convicted in connection with Albert's death; received a prison sentence between 26 and 32 years.[3]
Arrested and charged with first-degree murder in September 2009 over the beating death of Derrion Albert; the Cook County State's Attorney's office dismissed the murder charge against him in October 2009, saying additional information developed during the ongoing investigation warranted the dismissal. He was never convicted. No charges remain pending against him in this case.[3]
From the record
3 cited
Coverage is not a source: every fact in this file rests on the records below.
PressCNNAccessed Jul 5, 2026
PressThe New York TimesAccessed Jul 5, 2026
EncyclopedicWikipediaAccessed Jul 5, 2026
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Jul 13, 2026Source review
Source article revised on Wikipedia — flagged for re-verification
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