Father Michael L. Pfleger stands over the “Thou Shalt Not Kill” life-size statue of Jesus weeping over the hooded youth lying face down with three bullet holes in his back. (Photos by Chinta Strausberg)
Father Michael Pfleger and Pam Bosley, co-founder of Purpose Over Pain, unveiled a statue of Jesus weeping over the body of a hooded youth lying face down with three bullet holes in his back, hoping the life-size image will prevent more gun violence.
After several mothers whose children had been murdered spoke, Pfleger and Bosley delicately removed a black cloth, displaying the rustic, gold-colored statue created by Canadian sculptor Timothy Schmalz. The artist donated the sculpture to St. Sabina. Seeing the sculpture caused one mother who had lost her son to gun violence to moan and cry. She was not alone in her grief.
Pointing to “The Wall” depicting faces of slain children that is erected on the St. Sabina play lot at 78th Place and Racine, entitled “Forever in our Hearts,” Pfleger said, “All these faces of our children who are up in this are not just people who died. These are people who were murdered.”
Pfleger said he is worried about the coming summer months, which in the past have seen increased violence and deaths.
“Gun violence continues to rise across this country. Since January 1, 2024, there have been 370 people shot and 87 of those individuals lost their lives.”
Chicago Police Department spokesperson Kellie Bartoli told the Chicago Crusader that from January 1, 2024, to March 24, 2024, there have been 374 shooting incidents, 430 shooting victims and 95 murders.
“It is my hope that this piece of art will spark people to work diligently and to do all they can to end the epidemic of gun violence that is ruining families and communities and destroying future generations,” said Pfleger. Referring to the “Thou Shalt Not Kill” statue, he added, “When we see that child on the ground, we see our child.”
When asked what his thoughts were when he looked at the “Thou Shalt Not Kill” sculpture Pfleger told the Chicago Crusader, “It reminds me of my son.” He was referring to his 18-year-old adopted son, Jarvis Franklin, who on May 30, 1998, was caught in the crossfires of gang warfare.
When he was told his son was shot, Pfleger had just conducted a wedding. He ran from St. Sabina, at 1210 W. 78th Place, to 79th and Carpenter where he saw his son’s bullet-riddled body on the ground, bleeding out. His son had been shot in the neck and died a few days later.
Looking at the statue, Pfleger said, “God is angry about what is going on in our communities, in our cities. For God’s sake, we gotta stop it. It’s a hard piece. It’s a difficult piece, but we believe it is an important piece so somebody can look at it and see what death looks like.”
Pointing to the pictures of slain children, Pfleger added, “Everybody up there was murdered. No one deserves to be laying on the street dead.”
Pfleger called for more programs at churches and faith-based organizations for youth this summer. He said it is “insane” to see youth dead in the streets. He told the Crusader, “Parents need to talk to their children and know where they are at night. I think the community needs to put its arms around our children and the faith community…,” he said including law enforcement, to prevent more gun violence.
Bosley’s group of parents, whose children were victims of gun violence, called for an end to the shootings and killings. Bosley’s 18-year-old son, Terrell Bosley, a Gospel bass player, was shot while loading his musical instruments into his car on April 6, 2006. Someone drove by and opened fire, killing him outside a South Side church 18 years ago. No arrests have been made.
Looking at the sculpture, Bosley said, “I hope this wakes people up because it’s real.” She told the Crusader, “This is painful to see children laying in the street. I think about my son, killed 18 years ago. We’re coming up on his 18th anniversary. Since his death, we have had over 10,000 people shot and killed, and we’re still here doing the same thing.” She called for an end to the shootings and killings.
Aerienne Swanigan Williams is the mother of Tremayne Henderson, 21, killed by his childhood friend, John A. Smith 22, in the living room of her Roseland home on January 21, 2017, after a fist fight.
“He was charged with second-degree murder because the judge said my son was the aggressor. My son was shot in the chest.” Williams said her son “did not get the justice that I felt my son deserved.” She said her son’s killer will be home in January of 2027.
Asked her thoughts when she looked at the statue, Williams said, “It made me think about my son when he was laying on my living room floor waiting on the ambulance. It hurts, but it’s a memory of what we see every day with this gun violence going on in the world. It’s real sad,” Williams said.
Phoebe Valdes, mother of 20-year-old Joel Valdes who was shot five times at the Rosemont Mall on March 25, 2022, looked at the statue and said, “I see Joel with bullet holes in his chest.” She said today’s youth “needs Jesus,” and urged everyone to “love on them.”
Octavia Carmel, mother of Michael Carmel
Veronica Higgins, mother of Ronnie Roper, 28, who was killed May 17, 2023, by two men who shot him in the parking lot of the Create Real Economic Destiny (CRED) program run by former U.S. Secretary of Education Arnie Duncan, said she is praying for peace. “He was in this program getting his life together when he was killed.” When she looks at the statue, she too sees her son, “except he was laying on his back.”
The name of the “Thou Shalt Not Kill” statue was taken from Exodus 20:13.
