Thursday, January 15, 2009

R.I.P.


I just found out today that one of my fellow Howard Alums was gunned down tonight in front of his home in Phoenix, Arizona.

His name was Bilal Russell, a guy that was on the basketball team the same time I was at Howard and a guy I use to hoop with all summer long while we were in summer school.

He was getting ready to go to Law School in the fall.

This was a guy who was on his way to do something with his life. This was another senseless death and act of violence, people we need to wake up!

Of course the police have no suspects.

"For to me, to live is Christ, and to die is gain...having the desire to depart and be with Christ, for that is very much better" (Philip. 1:21-23)

Friend, rest now in God's hands

11 comments:

Bodies By Joice said...

David
I am very sorry to read about your friend.

Jx

LaLa said...

My heart goes out to you and Bilal's family. It's something we hear on the news so often but hurts especially deep when it is so close. XOXO

ejheat said...

I am so sorry to read about the death of your friend, Bilal. He is now at peace with God. My heart goes out to all his family and friends and to you big time, David. I will certainly say a special prayer for you, David, to get through this tough time. I will always be here for you, David. You are so right that everybody needs to wake up about all these horrible senseless tragedies that are happening way too much everyday in large towns and small towns,too. It has really become an epidemic in our violent society. This should also remind us all to tell our family, friends , and all our loved ones how much we love them because God says in the Bible that tomorrow is not promised to anyone of us. That was a beautiful verse from the Bible that you shared with us. I want to let you know, David, that I care about you and I am sending you much love from my heart and soul my special friend!!!!

Eric

k. carli said...

David,

I'm absolutely grieved to hear about your friend's death. I will definitely be in prayer for your loss and his family.

KT

Miiss Jessiica said...

I am so sorry!!!!

Coach said...

Thats why we have to pray everyday because anything can happen. People are bitter and desperate and its sad. We have to keep praying

Lady1082 said...

David

I am so sorry to read about the death of your friend. I know this is hard time for his family and for you to deal with his untimely death. I will be praying for your loss and his family. Death is hard to deal with in general but its even harder to deal with when that person's promising life was cut short from an act of violence. I feel your pain, I have lost too many males in my family at a young age from gun violence and its sad.

Just think about the good times you spent with your friend and just don't dwell on the fact that he is no longer with us and that he is in a better place now.
XOXO

Carla said...

Another brotha on the way to making something of himself...denied the opportunity to do so. My heart and prayers are with Bilal's family and with you also. So sorry for the loss.

*shaking my head*

Aunt Celest said...

I'm so sorry to hear about your lost, another senseless tragedy.
I know how you feel because my brother was kill the same way. He was at work and business was alittle slow, so he decided to go across the street and get some breakfast for the shop. He was at the right place at the wrong time. He was a good person and a wonderful father. Your right when you say people need to wake up. It's very important each and everyday to let your family and friend know you love them because tomorrow isn't promised to anyone. Never go to bed angry at any one, because you don't know if your going to be able to say your sorry in the morning. I'm sure Bilal knew your were a dear friend to him. You'll always miss him, but the pain of his lost will get better in time.
I'll keep you in my prayers.
Aunt Celest

QT said...

Wow, outrageous and days before we finally get to have a black man in the ultimate spotlight of a leader as President of this "great" country. A plain shame.

I am so very sorry to hear this David. May God forever keep his praying hands on his soul and watch over all the loved ones left behind.

I saw Big's movie yesterday, Notorious. I was disappointed that the chance to deliver a positive and strong message to all of the watchers, mainly the young folk, was not capitalized on.

Puffy and such had a prime opportunity to a) have this movie deliver a message about not just Biggie, but Tupac and b) the fact that we lost two great black men behind guns and all that comes with it and c) they could have had both the moms deliver messages at the end of the movie and d) they could have tied the messages throughout the film...and so on and so forth. But yet they took the low road, told the story they wanted to tell, all washed out and are instead counting the cash as it rolls in. Maybe I am wrong, but this is what it appears to be.

If I am right, this is a shame, a complete waste in my eyes. This movie was released the same weekend as MLKs bday and close to the time of the inauguration of our first black president. It is time for us to capitalize on every media moment to build our community back up as it has fallen to the wayside and noone seems to care. This would have been a perfect time to encourage continued change considering all of our fallen men and women that have died behind guns, amongst other things...

I could go on and on...really I could. This is something I am passionate about and I am so very sorry that another black man has lost his chance to help this world change for the better.

Anonymous said...

Condolences man...

In addition to the Phillipians quote,

1 Thessalonians 4:13-18

13 But we do not want you to be uninformed, brothers and sisters,* about those who have died,* so that you may not grieve as others do who have no hope. 14For since we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so, through Jesus, God will bring with him those who have died.* 15For this we declare to you by the word of the Lord, that we who are alive, who are left until the coming of the Lord, will by no means precede those who have died.* 16For the Lord himself, with a cry of command, with the archangel’s call and with the sound of God’s trumpet, will descend from heaven, and the dead in Christ will rise first. 17Then we who are alive, who are left, will be caught up in the clouds together with them to meet the Lord in the air; and so we will be with the Lord for ever. 18Therefore encourage one another with these words.