LeBron James is using his platform to bring attention to the recent killing of 18-year-old Na’Kia Crawford, a recent high school graduate who was shot and killed during a drive-by shooting in Akron, Ohio.
“Nah we ain’t letting it slow down!!” the NBA superstar wrote as a response to a tweet about getting justice for Crawford. “No Sir, Not Me. Somebody know something for sure. #JUSTICE4Nakia.”
Earlier this week, G Herbo shared a touching tribute to Crawford on Instagram. He revealed to his fans that he had previously met her and shared a photo that the two took together. “BEAUTIFUL BABY GIRL YOU COULD HAVE NEVER DONE A THING IN YOUR LIFE TO DESERVE THIS!” the PTSD emcee wrote on Monday (June 15). “PRAYERS GO OUT TO YOUR ENTIRE FAMILY #JusticeForNakia SMH WE NEED TO START MAKING SOME DEMANDS FAST.”
According to News 5 Cleveland, on June 14, Crawford suffered from multiple gunshot wounds and was transported to a local hospital where she later died from her injuries. Her grandmother was also in the vehicle at the time of the shooting, but was uninjured. Her family believes the shooting was racially motivated.
Cleveland. com reports that witnesses allegedly said that a black sports car with tinted windows stopped directly behind Crawford’s Chevrolet Malibu, then pulled up to the driver’s side of her car and opened fire. The department is currently still investigating and no arrests have been made so far.
Akron Public Schools Superintendent David James said that Crawford was the district’s second student in a week to pass away from gun violence.
“We will never know what Na’Kia Crawford might have done in or after college,” he said. “She is our second student in a week to die a violent death. The flame of her candle went out way too early. To make it to her high school graduation, with plans for her future, especially during this difficult time of COVID-19, just stings that much more. The heartache is real for those of us left behind to pick up the pieces.”
Check out James’ tweet below.