In Chester, the question remains the same: Who fired the shots that killed 14-year-old Zenas Powell.
It's the question that has possessed police - and much of the city - since gunfire rang out Saturday night, hitting Powell, his 16-year-old cousin Quamar, and another woman.
Police believe they were innocent bystanders, in the wrong place at the wrong time.
The hunt for suspects goes on.
In the meantime, the community is rallying around the Powell family. That includes his "school family."
Zenas attended Chester Community Charter School.
The school's founder, Vahan Gureghian, and his wife, Danielle, are picking up the tab for Zenas' funeral expenses. They also have matched the $5,000 reward being offered by the city for information in the case.
It's fair to say that this newspaper has not always seen eye to eye with Vahan Gureghian. We have often questioned operations at Chester Community Charter, the largest charter school in the state, and its effect on the Chester Upland School District. Roughly half of the kids in Chester now attend Chester Community Charter. We have gone to court in an effort to get Gureghian to open his books about the school's operation. Gureghian has steadfastly argued that as a private entity he is not required to do so.
As I said, we've had our disagreements before.
Not now.
A school has a special relationship with its students. Its clear from the reaction that Powell's tragic loss has deeply affected those at the school. That includes Gureghian.
What he is doing is a good thing.
What is happening elsewhere in Chester is not.
The Powell case was barely 48 hours old when Chester recorded its next homicide.
Police say a man was gunned down Monday night in the 11 block of Carla Lane in the Ruth L. Bennett Homes.
There have been no arrests in that case either.
It marks the 11th homicide this year in Chester.
The city's sad saga continues.
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