Saturday, August 27, 2016

Dwyane Wade Mourns "Senseless" Death of Cousin, Calls for End to Gun Violence

Dwyane Wade is in mourning.


The NBA superstar lost one of his cousins on Friday when she became a victim of crossfire on the sidewalk in Chicago.



According to CNN and other outlets, Nykea Aldridge died while pushing a stroller down a South Side street when a multitude of men started shooting at each other.


She was simply an innocent bystander.


Tweeted Wade in response to the tragedy:


“My cousin was killed today in Chicago. Another act of senseless gun violence. 4 kids lost their mom for NO REASON. Unreal. #EnoughIsEnough.”







CNN has reported that one of the bullets struck Aldridge in the head, while another hit her in an arm.


She died approximately 45 minutes after the shooting at a nearby hospital.


Aldridge’s aunt told an ABC affiliated that she was on her way to an elementary school when she was gunned down. 


Two suspects are reportedly in custody.



Wade’s mother, Jolinda Wade, spoke on behalf of the family last night while holding her inconsolable sister close outside the emergency room where Aldridge was pronounced deceased.


“Just sat up on a panel yesterday, The Undefeated, talking about the violence that’s going on within our city of Chicago, never knowing that the next day we would be the ones that would be actually living and experiencing it,” Jolinda Wade said.


“We’re still going to try and help these people to transform their minds and give them a different direction, so this thing won’t keep happening.


“We’re still going to help empower people like the one who senselessly shot my niece in the head.”


Chicago has been hit especially hard by violence this year. More than 2,600 people have been shot in the city, mainly on the South and West sides.


In July, Wade, Carmelo Anthony, Chris Paul and LeBron James opened the ESPYs by standing on stage and addressing this exact topic in front of a national audience.


They were responding at the time to the Black Lives Matter movement and the rash of African-American deaths at the hands of police officers.


They were also responding to the misguided responses of those who attached members of law enforcement in response to these incidents.



“The endless gun violence in places like Chicago, Dallas, not to mention Orlando, it has to stop. Enough. Enough is enough,” Waed said on stage.


This is not the first time Wade’s family has been touched by gun violence, either.


His nephew, Darin Johnson, was shot twice in the leg in 2012 but recovered.


We send our thoughts, prayers and condolences to the entire Wade family at this time.