A “hero” 13-year-old Louisiana boy was killed protecting his little sister from a shooting at an apartment complex, according to police.
Sha’Michael Russel jumped on top of his sister when gunfire erupted near the basketball court at Olde Salem Village Apartments in Shreveport last week, according to KSLA.
Sha’Michael was rushed to a local hospital, where doctors declared him dead.
“He was shielding his 3-year-old sister at the park to keep her from being hit by the bullets,” said Shreveport Police Department chaplain and Sha’Michael’s aunt Jessica Haley.
“He is a hero, a loving heart. He is a hero. He shielded his own sister.”
A 2-year-old and a 17-year-old were also shot, Shreveport police said. Sha’Michael’s sister was not struck and no arrests have been a week later.
Haley, who has been a chaplain with the Shreveport police force for decades, said she’s using faith to help her family get through this tragedy.
“I’m staying strong through the help of the Lord. The same encouragement I have to give them to tell them to pray, to keep their faith, is the same thing I have to preach to myself,” Haley said.
Sha’Michael will posthumously receive the Youth Heroism Award from the national Youth Peace & Justice Foundation in recognition of his bravery.
“Sha’Michael’s family has told us about a boy who loved his little sister and tried to protect her,” Daniel Chapin, founder and president of the foundation, said in a statement.
“He was only 13 years old. He should still be here growing up with his family. We want to recognize the courage his family described and make sure people remember Sha’Michael for the life he lived and the person he was.”
The foundation started a fundraiser to help Russell’s family with funeral and memorial costs. Additional funds may provide emergency support to the two surviving victims and their families.
The organization is also offering a separate reward of up to $5,000 for information leading to the identification and arrest of the person responsible.
Sha’Michael’s death marks Shreveport’s 38th confirmed homicide of 2026.
“It’s another child: another child, Shreveport. Blood is on the ground. And it’s my mission, even before it hit home, that we start to pray,” Haley said.
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