Tayivon Roberson

Tayivon Roberson was an 18-year-old member of Chicago’s southwest-side community whose life was cut short on July 22, 2017. Though public records and news coverage about Tayivon are limited, the available accounts show a young person rooted in the Marquette Park area of the city. He was among those who lived, learned, and socialized on the blocks around South Artesian Avenue — places that shape everyday routines and friendships for many families in the neighborhood.

News reporting from the time identifies Tayivon as the 18-year-old who was fatally shot on the evening of July 22, 2017, in the 7100 block of South Artesian. Those brief reports place him standing with another person when the violence occurred; a second person was seriously wounded. While these details document the circumstances of his death, they do not capture the full measure of Tayivon’s life: the relationships he had, the mornings and afternoons spent with family and friends, or the small everyday moments that gave his days shape and meaning.

Public memorial sites curated by community groups and gun-violence remembrance projects list Tayvion/Tayivon Roberson among young people lost to gun violence on that date, and community responses at the time reflect the immediate grief of family, friends, and neighbors. These remembrances make clear that his loss was felt by people who knew him and cared about him.

Because no family-published obituary or funeral-home notice matching both the exact name Tayivon Roberson and the July 22, 2017 death date was found in the public record, this life story emphasizes what is verifiable: Tayivon was a real young person whose presence mattered to his community. Though available public details are sparse, Tayivon’s death is a reminder of a life that had more to give. He is remembered here with respect and dignity, and with the wish that those who loved him are held in support and memory.