Kahlif Norwood Obituary, Death; – The 17-year-old boy who was shot and killed this weekend on one of Uptown’s most perilous blocks had previously survived a shooting less than a block away two years prior.
Officials have identified the victim as Kahlif Norwood. According to police, eight males approached him while he was standing in an alley behind the 5000 block of North Winthrop at approximately 10:20 p.m. on Sunday. One of the assailants brandished a firearm and began shooting, hitting Norwood multiple times. He was declared dead at Illinois Masonic Hospital.
Surveillance footage captured the suspects fleeing south on Winthrop and then west on Argyle following the shooting. In response, police promptly redirected resources to nearby gang territories, deploying officers to Sunnyside and Magnolia to prevent potential retaliation.
Norwood had also been shot in Uptown on October 2, 2023, when he was 15 years old. In that incident, a gunman emerged from an alley in the 1000 block of West Argyle, close to the Argyle Red Line station, and opened fire. Norwood sustained a gunshot wound to his lower leg, while a 44-year-old man was shot in the foot. No arrests were made in that case.
Justin Peters, the founder of the Chitown Crime Chasers group, noted that Norwood had previously participated in his youth mentoring program.
“From my experience, Khalif wasn’t a saint, but he was overall a smart and talented young man,” Peters remarked. “He was the leader of the youth group due to his age, and he consistently imparted wisdom about life and the streets to the younger boys. He motivated them to pursue the right path.”
Peters reminisced about visiting Norwood in the hospital after the 2023 shooting. “I will always remember the night we engaged in a lengthy three-hour discussion about life, God, and his aspirations for the future. He expressed a desire to leave the streets behind and pursue a career in rap,” Peters stated.
“This devastating news has utterly broken my heart. I feel as though I have let him down.”
The boy is the fifth individual shot in Uptown this year and the neighborhood’s first murder victim of 2025. He is also the second person shot on the 5000 block of North Winthrop this year. A 22-year-old man was shot during…
