Memphis, Tennessee | November 13, 2017
Some mothers count the years by birthdays.
Rosland Shields counts them by the number of years she has been waiting for justice.
Richard’s mother reached out to The Vivid Faces of the Vanished because she refuses to let her son’s name become just another unsolved case file. Every day without answers is another day she wakes up carrying the weight of a loss no parent should ever have to endure.
She is hoping that by sharing Richard’s story once again, it reaches the one person who knows the truth.
A Child Caught in Gunfire
On November 13, 2017, at approximately 4:30 p.m., 10-year-old Richard Jordan III was riding in the backseat of his family’s SUV as they traveled through South Memphis.
The family had stopped at a traffic light on northbound Airways Boulevard at Ketchum Road during the afternoon rush.
According to investigators, three separate vehicles suddenly pulled alongside the SUV.
Without warning, the occupants opened fire.
Police said at least 17 rounds were fired into the family’s vehicle.
Richard was struck by the gunfire.
He was rushed to Le Bonheur Children’s Hospital, where he later died from his injuries.
An adult and a 12-year-old boy who were also inside the SUV survived after being wounded.
Investigators believe Richard and his family were mistakenly targeted.
The Search for the Shooters
The Memphis Police Department later released surveillance images of the three vehicles believed to have been involved in the shooting:
- A black Chrysler 300
- A gold or tan Chevrolet Malibu missing its hubcaps
- A gray sedan, possibly a Pontiac Grand Prix
Despite years of investigation, no arrests have been made.
No one has been held accountable.
Richard’s mother has continued fighting to keep his memory alive, sharing that her son was only in the vehicle that afternoon because the family was experiencing car trouble and he had missed school.
In the aftermath of the shooting, then-Memphis Police Director Mike Rallings called the tragedy “a Memphis problem” and urged the community to break the silence surrounding violent crime.
Nearly eight years later, that silence continues.
A Mother’s Plea
In the words of Richard’s mother:
“This day changed my life when my son (only 10 yrs old) was violently taken from me. We was caught up in a drive-by shooting and to today we still haven’t got #JusticeForLilRichard. Please post his story in hopes of it reaching the right person that can help give us the closure we need. Thanks in advance. — A grieving mother.”
A little boy lost his life because someone chose to pull a trigger.
If investigators are right, Richard wasn’t even the intended target.
His family has lived with that unimaginable reality every single day since.
Anyone with information regarding the murder of Richard Jordan III, the vehicles involved, or the people responsible is urged to contact Memphis CrimeStoppers at 901-528-CASH (2274). Tipsters may remain anonymous and may be eligible for a cash reward.
© The Vivid Faces of the Vanished
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