By Megan Burks
Residents Mark One-Year Anniversary of Police Officer’s Death
This week last year City Heights residents came together to mourn the death of Mid-City Police Officer Jeremy Henwood. The officer, who was fatally shot Aug. 6, 2011, by Dejon White, captured the attention of the region and nation with one of his final acts of kindness: splitting McDonald’s cookies with then-13-year-old Daveon Scott minutes before his death.
“He told me, ‘Hard work in life will do you well,’” Scott told me following a candlelight vigil for Henwood.
U-T San Diego columnist Matthew T. Hall caught up with Daveon Monday and found those words stuck.
| “The best thing I ever did was — how would I say this? — playing basketball,” he said. “Without basketball, I don’t know what I would do today. I love basketball so much.”
Daveon feels he owes it to Henwood and others to become as good at the sport as he can. “I think if kids slack off, they can’t be what they want to be,” he said. “Life is too short to be staying in your house playing video games all day, or staying in your house watching TV, gossiping on the phone or texting. You should, like, get out and do something with your life. Like Jeremy did. He got out, served in the military, served San Diego Mid City Division.” |
Another of Henwood’s acts of kindness: signing up to become an organ donor. 10News San Diego reports Henwood donated two kidneys, saving two mothers with the help of his first responders, who kept him alive long enough for the organs to remain viable.
Henwood will be celebrated at the Rose Parade with a float sponsored by the organ donation charity, Donate Life.
Shooting Victim Struggles for Normalcy a Year Later
Follow U-T San Diego columnist Matthew T. Hall @SDuncovered.
Map: Where San Diego’s Poorest Live
Speak City Heights partner Voice of San Diego took a look at where San Diego’s low-income families live. The map shows a clear north-south divide, with families making less than $30,000 a year more highly concentrated below Interstate 8. In City Heights, the northern neighborhoods along University Avenue and El Cajon Boulevard are poorer.
Follow Voice of San Diego reporter Keegan Kyle @keegankyle.
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