Abernd Joseph’s family members are still looking for answers after a neighbor shot and killed him last September in his high-rise Chicago apartment. Even though it’s been almost five months, the suspect has still not been charged.
A former Assistant Principal with Kipp Metro Atlanta Schools, Joseph “worked as an educator in Atlanta for almost a decade.” But he had recently relocated to work at a Chicago charter school in 2022.
On Thursday, Sep. 14, police were called to “The Legacy at Millennium Park condos, at 60 E. Monroe St. just off Michigan Avenue” just after 7:00pm. Despite living on the 29th floor, they “found Joseph on the 48th floor with several gunshot wounds,” lying face down, clad only in his “robe, boxers, and socks.”
The events leading up to the shooting are still unknown. The police report says that Joseph had allegedly been “pounding on doors” despite several residents requesting that he stop. Joseph also purportedly “struck the doorman and another tenant.”
The neighboring tenant, who possesses a conceal carry license, reportedly issued several warnings to “Joseph that he was armed, before asking him to stop attacking people.” The tenant alleges that Joseph refused to heed his warnings, and charged at him, which is when he fired multiple shots, which ended up killing the 32-year-old.
“The shooter was temporarily taken into custody but then released,” WSB-TV2 reports.
“I didn’t think it would take this long,” said Joseph’s brother Jay Charles. “With so much evidence presented I don’t see why the investigation is still on going.”
And Joseph’s family is working hard to ensure that he will not be forgotten. “[T]hey held a march on MLK Day and a vigil at the Atlanta charter school where he worked.” In addition, they’ve “taken their message to Chicago.”
His family has said they will not stop until they’ve achieved justice for Joseph. “Anybody involved in my brother’s murder should be held accountable by now. The only thing I can rely on right now is having faith in the legal system,” stated Charles.
“It remains an ongoing investigation. As it is an open investigation, no additional information is available,” Chicago Police told Channel Two Action News.
While the Joseph family waits for any updates from investigators, they have retained a law firm. The lawyers “are working to get all of the facts before they file a civil lawsuit.”