Gone Cold: Philadelphia Unsolved Murders

Jhalil Shands, 25 years old, was out on a date with his high school sweetheart in Old City, Philadelphia, when three people jumped out of a car and brutally shot and killed him. He was loved by his family and lived a good life, but still found himself in the middle of a dangerous world. In the final episode of “Ricochet”, we hear from Jhalil’s family and other mothers who have lost their children to gun violence, and two psychologists break down how trauma impacts both parents and children, how race and toxic masculinity are tied into the cycle of violence, and what kids need in order to see a different path.

Sixteen-year-old Kahree Simmons was playing basketball on a Thursday evening when a van pulled up and bullets started firing. He was hit in the neck and died. We hear Kahree’s story, ride along on patrol with police officers in the neighborhood where he was killed, and talk with law enforcement and prosecutors about what goes into a shooting investigation and charging. Plus, we talk about what the word “gang” means in Philadelphia and why young people join these violent groups.

Lou Berrios was coming home from his first Eagles game, about to open his front door, when he was shot in the back in a suspected attempted robbery. He survived, but between surgeries and PTSD, his recovery is a lifelong struggle. In this episode, we focus on the physical impacts of getting shot, how doctors respond, and how guns and ammunition have become more powerful over the years. Medics tell us about how their jobs have changed. And we speak with one advocate who explains how fear is a major factor in gun violence, and how those moments of fear may be the best time for intervention to help stop the bloodshed.

Jermaine Robinson was bullied as a kid, until his mom, Andrea, taught him how to box and “protect himself.” She says something clicked in her son’s head that day. He began to carry a gun, run with the wrong crowd, and get picked up by police. His friends called him "Shooter". He was in and out of the court system for years, and Andrea says she tried everything, until one day, Jermaine was shot and killed. As Andrea shares her story of grief and anger, we try to understand what drives a person to pick up a gun and shoot, and how trauma is often the trigger.

In October of 2019, two children were shot within hours of each other, including two-year-old Nikolette Rivera.  A bullet from an assault rifle struck her head and instantly killed her. It was at the hands of a man named Tayvon Thomas, who grew up abused and neglected, and turned to drugs. We dig into both sides of this tragedy, examine the systemic failures that contributed, and ask why the most vulnerable feel the least protected.