Vicious attacks and deaths influenced by monetary gain or status because of a sneaker's scarcity is still a reoccurring theme. In 2012 a mother lost her son due to sneaker violence when her boy was shot over 3 pairs of Air Jordans after purchasing them earlier that morning from Willowbrook Mall. 4 years later the case has finally reached the court room, and the victim's mother Dazie Williams spoke out about her son's death.
"My son's life was worth more than a pair of shoes," Williams said to the news.
After reaching out to the Nike and Jordan Brand, Willams did receive a personal call from Michael Jordan giving his condolences to her family's loss. A Nike spokesman also addressed the situation saying "We are continuing to work with retailers who sell our products to improve the buying experience," he said. "We are in regular contact with our retail partners to share best practices and will continue to do so. We continue to encourage people wishing to purchase our products to do so in a respectful manner."
With in-store raffles set in place in attempts to relieve disgruntled or perturbed customers on release day, Nike and Jordan Brand have yet to comprise a foolproof plan to stop sneaker violence entirely.
While Williams states "Michael Jordan didn't pull the trigger that took my son's life," she is holding the company accountable and says both brands should take some responsibility.
Source: Chron
