He was the rising star – the baseball phenom whom everybody loved. It’s been four years since 17-year-old Michael Mayfield was shot and killed.
It wasn’t supposed to happen to him.
Not like this. Not this brutal.
“This wasn’t a robbery attempt. He wasn’t into drugs or gangs or guns. We often talk about the cycle of violence, where you see people who are on the wrong side of the law become victims of what they’re involved in. That wasn’t Michael,” Chief T.J. Smith, head of Baltimore Police’s media relations, said.
Because Michael was a star – part of the Edmondson-Westside High School’s Red Storm baseball team.
He was headed to school down in North Carolina on a scholarship.
“When you hear people talk about Michael Mayfield, they light up because they talk about how much of a leader he was; how great he was in the community, at his school, played baseball for Edmondson High School and was just about to graduate right before this incident took place,” Smith said.
Michael was in the car with his girlfriend and little sister one April evening in 2014.
The sun was out, but it was still chilly.
“He was just such a great kid and an amazing brother and it was a privilege to have custody of, and be his big sister,” Tekeya, Michael’s older sister, said.
Someone started shooting, intentionally according to police, toward the van Michael was in.
His girlfriend and baby sister were ok.
But Michael – he was hit several times with bullets, including one blow to the head.
“Whoever did this targeted the vehicle, but what were they doing that for. Did they think he was someone else? Were they targeting someone else,” Smith rhetorically asked. “That’s something that we’re trying to get the answer to.”
Michael was dead.
His death sent shockwaves through the Baltimore community that championed the boy who was supposed to make it out.
“I still visit my brother at the cemetery, unfortunately, on occasions or days of the week because I miss him. He was my confidante and we shared a lot living under the same roof,” Tekeya said.
Police says the details in the case are slim.
Witnesses haven’t come to them with tips in awhile and it’s one of the only ways, Smith says, can help police solve this tragic case.
“There are people out there that hold the answer as to what happened to Michael and we’re hopeful that someone will have a change of heart; someone will be courageous enough to step forward and provide that information to detectives,” Smith said.
