By Herald Staff
UPDATE (3/7/18): Desean Bowman, 16, was arrested by Cincinnati Police Wednesday evening and charged with murder in the death of Thompson Jr.
Cincinnati Police are investigating the fatal shooting of a Purcell Marian High School student who was shot in his grandmother’s yard in the 3300 block of Wabash Avenue, near Hewitt Street, in Evanston after 6 p.m. Friday, March 2. The victim, Gregory Thompson Jr., 17, had been able, after having been shot, to make it inside the home where he died, police said.
The shooting is under investigation, with no motive or suspect at this time, police said.
Thompson was the son of Dionne Partee, principal of the parochial St. Joseph Elementary School in the West End.
Andy Farfsing, Purcell Marian principal, said in a message on YouTube Sunday, “Greg’s only been with us a year. He transferred in this year, and he has a huge friend base, a very positive friend base. He also has made some very positive and lasting relationships with teachers and staff.’’
“Greg was a good friend of any of our athletes,’’ Farfsing said. However, because of transfer rules, Thompson could not play sports at Purcell Marian this year, but became friends with many of the athletes, Farfsing said. After learning about his death during the basketball game Friday, Farfsing said he shared about an hour with the team in the locker room after the game, for Thompson was especially close with the basketball players.
Thompson attended Roger Bacon High School in St. Bernard as a freshman, and he was a running back on the football team, according to officials at that school. He left and spent his sophomore year in Louisville; when he came back to Cincinnati, he enrolled at Purcell Marian last fall, Farfsing said.
“Greg made lasting, positive relationships with staff, and he came into my office once a day and shared stories. He took it on himself to sweep spare salt from the sidewalks this winter to make school safer. One of our brothers is gone, and now we will mourn him and celebrate his life, and together we will grow. We will miss him tremendously,’’ Farfsing said in the video.
A team of 13 grief counselors would be at the school this week to help students and staff cope with the loss, Farfsing said.
Purcell Marian is a parochial high school in the East Walnut Hills neighborhood.
A Facebook post on the Catholic Schools–Archdiocese of Cincinnati page asked for prayers for Thompson’s family.
Police are investigating this as a homicide, and anyone with information is asked to call Crimestoppers at 513-352-3040.
Desean Bowman, 16, was arrested by Cincinnati Police Wednesday evening and charged with murder in the death of Thompson Jr.
Visitation is from 5 to 8 p.m. Friday, March 9, at Purcell Marian Chapel at 2935 Hackberry Avenue. Visitation on Saturday, March 10, is from 10 to 11 a.m. at St. Joseph Church, 745 Ezzard Charles Dr. The funeral service will follow visitation on Saturday.