A reward of $10,000 is being offered in the shooting death of 16-year-old Davell Holden, a student at Thornwood High School in South Holland who was described by the school’s principal as “a bright student and a beloved friend to many.”
Holden, who would have been starting his junior year at Thornwood, was shot Saturday in South Holland, at a friend’s house in the 16000 block of Drexel Avenue. Police said they are working with the South Suburban Major Crimes Task Force and asking for the public’s help in the investigation.
On Wednesday, the village said it is partnering with Father Michael Pfleger of Saint Sabina Church in Chicago to offer a reward of $10,000 for information that leads to the arrest of the person or persons responsible for Holden’s death.
Police said they responded shortly after 7 p.m. Saturday to Drexel Avenue for a report of gunshots, and found a young male, later identified as Holden, on the front lawn.
Holden, of the 16900 block of Ingleside Court, was pronounced dead at 7:37 p.m. Saturday at UChicago Medicine Ingalls Memorial Hospital in Harvey, according to the Cook County medical examiner’s office.
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The office said that Holden suffered multiple gunshot wounds and his death was ruled a homicide.
In a message to Thornwood students and parents, principal Don Holmes said the school community “experienced an unimaginable tragedy with the loss of one of our own, Davell Holden, a rising junior scholar-athlete and a valued member of our Thunderbird basketball team.”
“The news of his passing has left us all in shock and mourning, and I know that many of you are grappling with the same feelings of sorrow and disbelief,” the principal wrote.
In announcing the reward offer, South Holland Mayor Don De Graff said investigators “are committed to finding justice for Davell and his family, and we are asking the public for their help.”
“From everything we’ve learned about Davell, he was respectful and dedicated to his academics and athletics, with a particular love for basketball. His loss is a tragedy for his family and for our community.” De Graff said.
Information about the shooting can be provided to South Holland police at 708- 331-3131, ext. 2, or the department’s tip line, 833-805-0187. Tips can also be submitted at southholland.org/tips.
Holmes said that Holden “was not just an exceptional athlete, he was a bright student and a beloved friend to many. His spirit and determination inspired those around him, and his absence will be profoundly felt throughout our school community.”