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Nasir Ali Smith

Age 14

Columbia, Missouri

No more games left to play

He was “smart [and] fearless.” He attended Hickman High School, but then switched to being homeschooled. He had a mother, father, and two brothers, whom he “loved with all his heart.” 

He was an “outstanding” player on the Columbia Raiders, a youth football team. He was very close with his brothers and loved gaming with them. They especially loved PlayStation. But he was found far from his sports and video games.

Nasir Ali Smith, 14, was shot dead and found behind a building on Nov. 6, 2018, at The Links, an apartment complex in Columbia, Missouri.

By Elena Eisenstadt · Age 16
Meet the Reporters

More than 300 athletes

Brandon Nathan Tyson

Friday night lights end in tragedy

Jeremiah Ascencio

Last moments spent cradling his brother

Taveon Donte' Brooks

Basketball point guard, would-be rapper

Ta Quan Pinkney

Bright future; gone too soon

Zyhame Kila Jones

An artist, basketball player and car-lover

Jovontia Antonio Jones

A runner grieved by seven siblings

Ricky Lamar Green Jr.

His children never saw him box

Avi Liam Franco

He loved to learn and explore

Natwan Kian Holyfield

Supposed to go to homecoming, prom

Jontae Billups-Brooks

An athlete and a music lover

Kendrick D. Davis

Not quite clear on his dreams

Ra’Quan Darius Jones

Didn’t get to see his GED

James Alexzander Shorter

He’ll never taste grandma’s cookies again

Ray Glasgow III

Bench wears jersey instead of captain

Sharon Castro

She always helped those who struggled

Jayden Fondeur

His older brother found him first

Lorenzo Moore-Vaughn

About to start his senior year

Vicente Valero III

He was a modern Renaissance man

Orlando Myron Anderson Jr.

He was so full of life

Elisha Amon Cole

Dreaming big, working on his portfolio