Homicide Report > Dovon Harris, 16
Dovon Harris, 16
Died June 13, 2007 at 5:00 p.m.
Dovon Harris, a 16-year-old black male, died Wednesday, June 13, after being shot in Green Meadows.
Dispatch: Dovon Harris, 15, continued. [Originally published June 19, 2007]
At the hospital, Barbara Pritchett corralled the LAPD detective who would be handling the case of her son Dovon's murder."I didn't want him to be labeled with just a name and a number," Pritchett said.
Dovon, 15, was still on life support after being shot last Thursday in Watts, and would remain on life support several days so that his organs could be donated. "I want you to meet him," Pritchett recalled telling Det. John Skaggs of LAPD's Southeast Division.
The 10th-grader at Centennial High School had been struck by a bullet east of South Central Avenue on 114th Street in Watts late in the afternoon as he headed home from an end-of-school-year gathering with friends. A girl from his group had quarrelled with a girl from another group, and things had escalated. Harris and his friends got on an MTA bus. But some black men or youths followed the bus in a car. When the Harris and his friends got off the bus, one of their pursuers fired, and Harris was struck. "Gunned down like he was nobody," his mother said.
During the days that the parents kept a vigil at UCLA-Harbor Medical Center, a stream of people came to see Dovon—friends, family members, 11 teachers and administrators from Centennial High, Pritchett said. Over and over they asked Pritchett why there had been no news coverage of the murder. "It's unfair to see a kid like this when all they talk about on the news is Paris Hilton," they said. "That's OK," Pritchett said over and over. "We know what Dovon was."
But when Skaggs came along, Pritchett was determined to rescue Dovon from the anonymity of being just another case—another 15-year-old black youth shot in a drive-by. She brought Skaggs to Dovon's bedside. Her son lay brain-dead, on a ventilator, his body swollen by fluids, kept alive only long enough to donate six of his organs to six people. "I want you to see his face," she told Skaggs.
Photo: Friends and family write notes at Dovon's shrine next to the Nickerson Gardens housing project in Watts.)
- Neighborhood: Green Meadows
- Age: 16
- Gender: Male
- Cause: Gunshot
- Day of the week: Wednesday
- Agency: LAPD Southeast
- Race/Ethnicity: Black
- Circumstance: Fight
- Crime scene: Public place
18 reader comments about Dovon Harris
Im sitting here in my room thinking about that its one year to the day that my lil bro POO POO was gunned down. To live wit that how unfair is it that a caring lovable joyous life was taking by such a cowardly act while we wish that he could be here to see his neices and new cousins that have joined our family I just have to no that he is in a better place up there looking down on us smiling. Remembering him acting all crazy working our nerves as only he could forever in our hearts we will carry your memory we love and miss u lil bro.
June 14, 2010 at 9:50 a.m.
my lil relative left us a lil over 3 yrs ago & everytime i think abt it i lose my breath ; him and my lil bro were the same age & got on my nerves every family occasion lol ; i miss you tho poopoo ; i miss us fightin over who gon give my granny(rip) the most kisses ; yea u always beat me but i let you lol ; you prolly up there gettin a gang of kisses 4rm her right now as we speal lmao ; watch over us poopoo we love you always & forever
July 16, 2010 at 5:40 p.m.
TO Mom of DOVON HARRIS , just know that your plea has been heard all over the united states . Our children have been slayed all over the world . By senesless black on black hate crimes . You are in my prayers , and i ask God to give you peace that surpasses all understanding .We stand together for the injustice of our youth . We must not allow these hate crimes to continue . Blessings to you and family ......
Sept. 16, 2010 at 12:29 a.m.
(Tears) I miss u lil cuzzo! I love u so much! I think about u everyday! How big and handsome you a be right now! How I kno u would of grown out of ur annoying ways! Lol well I love you and kno u in a better place! Ur birthday coming soon and its hurting me. I miss you! I still don't understand to this day!
Oct. 6, 2010 at 12:30 p.m.
JUST sitting here thinking how much i miss him and here we go again we are not to lay are kids to rest they are to lay us to rest i have a cousin that just murder 3 week ago something is wrong i no my family is no diffrent from the rest but we are starting to lose are kids now someone please tell the GANG BANGER we can`t take this no more 2 people life gone at a early age LOUIS SMITH & DOVON HARRIS
Jan. 23, 2011 at 7:18 p.m.
It's been a few years but I think about you daily, to this day I still do not understand why you had to go but I know it was apart of God's plan. We loss you but you gave life back to others who may not have had a chance and just knowing that you are the reason others are living today brings a smile to my face. Family gatherings are no longer the same because I do not have you there to pick on me even though I was the older cousin. What I wouldn't do just to have that moment just one more time, just to yell STOP POO-POO... I miss you dearly and I am thankful for each dream that I had about you! You helped ease the pain each and everytime and I know you are in a wonderful place! I use your loving heart as a force in my life daily. I will always love and miss you!
April 22, 2011 at 10:24 p.m.
Tragic, tragic story, my condolences to the family. Was there ever an arrest or trial?
May 16, 2011 at 9:02 a.m.
give me a break -
nunyabizness
May 16, 2011 at 12:03 p.m.
@ — give US a break
Yes it is.
LA Times, can we have a follow-up?
Thanks
June 23, 2011 at 8:54 a.m.
in responce to - give us a break -...what a terrible thing to say, to someone who is concern about this awful death, to the one that goes by the name of, give me a break....show some compassion, what a sorry and sad world we live in...may god bless the family of this young man, my heart feels for you.
March 2, 2012 at 5:45 p.m.
loving person - This 'give me break' person wants an update on every single homicide that is put on here, like she is a detective or something. It's annoying. She should mind her own.
March 5, 2012 at 10:59 a.m.
I'd also like to know the disposition of this case.
This is a newspaper and giving the public information is what they do.
— give US a break ..... why aren't you interested? You know something that you want to remain a secret?
March 5, 2012 at 2:08 p.m.
To the family of Dovon, may God comfort you with his peace as you trust in him. To give me a break, Aka S3 abbreviated please let this family grieve there loved one in peace. As we have told you before you are not fooling anyone with all these fake names you use. Your ugly character shows you up every-time.
March 5, 2012 at 5:19 p.m.
Why not ask Dovon's lady friend who did it? She was clearly there at the scene of the crime, and most likely knows/knew the people responsible for this murder?
What is it with you people who don't cooperate with police? Be the bigger person and bring some justice to the ones who need it most.
Unbelievable.
March 5, 2012 at 5:50 p.m.
This sounds like a senseless murder. My prayers and sympathies go out to the family. Donating his organs so others could have a chance at a better life was a very good thing to do, especially while you were in mourning. It seems so unfair that this innocent kid had to die and this had to happen to what is certainly a very nice and selfless family. God bless you.
March 5, 2012 at 8:32 p.m.
— JD .... thats the biggest problem in these killing field neighborhoods.
A lot of people know who does these shootings, yet no one knows anything.
Its like a biblical plague being inflicted upon the people who live there.
March 7, 2012 at 11:29 a.m.
Sheba - I understand how you feel about this
'give me a break' person. Extremely nosy she is.
March 7, 2012 at 1:03 p.m.
Syscom3, so if you and your family lived in such neighborhood and you witnessed a murder you will testify in court knowing that your risking the safety of your family? I doubt it!
March 8, 2012 at 11:16 a.m.
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