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Abdul Karim Thomas

Age 18

Greenbelt, Maryland

Hearts and hashtags name him now

At 18 years of age, he was at the corner of childhood and adulthood. But to those who knew him, he was always “Baby Swendle.”

Those online have described him as having a “funny” and “goofy” personality. But first and foremost, he cared for his friends: “(T)he last thing (he) told me was to be safe,” a friend tweeted the day after the news.

Broken hearts and a hashtag name him now: “#LLBS” (Long Live Baby Swendle). On Dec. 18, 2018, Abdul Karim Thomas was found shot and killed in an apartment in Greenbelt, Maryland.

By Emily Xu · Age 17
Meet the Reporters

More than 100 jokesters

Natwan Kian Holyfield

Supposed to go to homecoming, prom

Kaiden Vague

Sixteenth birthday. Golden birthday. Last birthday.

Eric Xavier Degori

His jokes could make anyone laugh

Will Earl Davis Jr.

The rising senior was always smiling

Rashiya Melton

Joins brother, leaves behind her twin

Edgar Alan Espino

Jokester loved to make people laugh

Daron Johnson

He went to celebrate another’s life

Jayvone J. Shackelford-Bishop

Friends together like Lilo & Stitch

Deandre Moon

Overnight tragedy for a basketball fan

Terale Claridy-Vaught

‘Solid’ friend barely gets to adulthood

Robert Carranza

He liked to post song lyrics

Amauri Green

Died while fixing a flat tire

Eddie Daiquan Grant

A devoted boyfriend and rap fan

Bryan Portales Escalante

Phone, wallet, shoes and, life — gone

Darion Gordon

Sixteen years erased by one bullet

Steven Alexander Jr.

He missed his first Father’s Day

Jonathan David Freeman Jr.

Debated anything, from music to Deflategate

Matthew James Jurado

Challenging student had a compassionate heart

Ryan J. Dillon

A playful boy, stopped by bullets

Manuel Lopez Jr.

High school senior set to graduate