WASHINGTON -- A Southeast D.C. teacher says he struggled to find the right words. He was trying to respond to a very difficult situation on Instagram.
Eastern Senior High School educator, Darrell Holloman, had learned the 20-year-old shot and killed on Benning Road, Northeast last Monday was a beloved, former student named Randall Francis.
“Had a good relationship with him and we use to talk after class and even during lunch and things like that and he was a very fashionable – very popular, you know, student and um – you know – very charismatic. And so it was hard to hear when he had passed,” said Holloman.
It was like a punch in the gut.
“I thought it must have been someone who was jealous of his popularity or something like that,” the teacher said.
Holloman, the victim’s family and friends -- they all say 20-year-old Randall Francis was doing what he loved. He was a rapper, an aspiring model and talented photographer.
Then, another blow.
“Malik was a student who used to hang out with me after school and talk, you know, about various things but he was always like a fun-loving kid,” said Holloman.
That same Malik, 20-year-old Malik Morris, is the suspect DC police say shot & killed Francis.
Holloman read some of an Instagram post he struggled to write.
“No one could’ve told me two years ago that I’d be making this post. I feel like we’ve lost two young men with great potential,” he said.
The Southeast educator says there were reports that the petty dispute between the two involved a young woman.
He doesn’t know what went wrong here or over the years, but he does feel like as a community we’re failing.
“This should not be a solution for any problem that they have and maybe figure out a way where they have a different outlet different ways to communicate, you know, learning these skills rather than using a gun,” said Holloman.
Police say Malik Morris still hasn’t turned himself in.
Holloman would say this Morris if he could:
“I would hope that the positive person I know would come out and try to figure out how to change this very negative situation."
