Graduation Gown Becomes Shroud : Violence Puts End to a Life of Promise

Keith Solomon, a Cal State Fullerton honors student, was looking forward to wearing his cap and gown at graduation later this month. Instead, Solomon, 22, will be buried in that cap and gown today.

The young man, who friends and family said wanted to dedicate his life to ridding his Los Angeles community of violence, died a violent death.

Solomon was shot in the parking lot of a Watts fast-food restaurant last weekend while his fiancee and sister looked on, police said. He died early Sunday at Martin Luther King Hospital. Police, who are still searching for the killer, said the shooting was not gang-related.

‘This Was No Gangland Shooting’

His parents, Burnit and Willie Solomon, said earlier reports that the shooting may have been gang-related have caused the family additional pain.

“It hurt so bad,” his mother, Willie, said. “People heard that on TV and those that knew Keith came to us and said, ‘Gangs? Not the Keith that we know.’ This was no gangland shooting. This kid has got a history of genius,” she said, still speaking of her son in the present tense.

When Solomon was not spending time with his fiancee, he would come straight home every day, said his father, a janitor who was laid off five months ago.

“He would sit here and watch TV with me. We liked to do that together. Course sometimes he would spend time with his girlfriend.”

Solomon became engaged last Easter to Jackie Mitchell, a woman he had known for five years, his parents said. “Jackie just doesn’t want to talk to anybody right now,” Willie Solomon said.

Solomon, his fiancee and his sister, Letitia Solomon, were in a fast-food restaurant last Saturday at 6:30 p.m., according to Los Angeles Police Officer Ted Covey of the Southeast Division. An argument that apparently began in the restaurant spilled out into the parking lot.

LaVelle Plunkett, an employee at the restaurant, said two men first argued with Solomon inside. Solomon left to go to his car, Plunkett said, and the two men followed him.

According to police reports, one of the men swung an automatic handgun at Solomon’s face, which Solomon tried to block with his wrist. The gun went off and the bullet struck the left side of his head. He died about six hours later.

Plunkett, 19, said Solomon was a friend as well as a regular customer. “We used to joke around all the time. He was a nice person. As for his being in gangs? No! That’s not the type of person that he was. He thought gangs were stupid.”

It was Solomon’s desire to work and live in his community, his mother said. “He kept saying that he wanted to stay in Watts. And that if more people from around here with an education would remain here and work in the community, it would make a difference. He wanted to stay and make the difference.”

Solomon completed all of his graduation requirements in December, said Roger Nudd, vice president of student services at Cal State Fullerton. He was to receive his BA degree in psychology and would have graduated on May 31 with honors, Nudd said. Since January, Solomon had been a full-time, welfare-eligibility worker for Los Angeles County in an office near the family home.

‘We Had a Lot in Common’

“He had a lot of potential,” said his supervisor, Cordelia Murray. “I never saw him become angry with anyone. He would volunteer to assist people.” Solomon’s job of interviewing people for general relief welfare benefits requires a lot of patience, Murray said. “There’s not a lot (of money) to go around. Keith was very patient. He was willing to give up a lot of ear time.”

Willie Hicks began in the same type of job four days after Solomon. The two men became fast friends, Hicks said. “We were both two young men coming out of college. My birthday is a few days after his. We had a lot in common.”

Hicks said his friend was “the most non-judgmental person” he had ever known. “And if he cared about you, he would let you know.”

Born in New Orleans, Solomon came with his family to Watts when he was 10. The family was searching for a better life for the family, Willie Solomon said. The youngest of the Solomons’ three boys and three girls, Keith Solomon always did well in school and sports, his mother said.

Although Solomon was a basketball and football player at Jordan High School in Watts, he decided not to play sports in college so he could concentrate on his studies, his mother said.

“He was gifted from the day he was born. He was a born leader,” Willie Solomon said.

A unity rally held at Cal State Fullerton on Wednesday was dedicated to Solomon. “On behalf of the Solomon family, we thank you all,” Letitia Solomon tearfully told the students after they presented her with nearly $400 they had collected to help with funeral expenses.

Funeral services are scheduled for 1:30 p.m. today at Tabernacle of Faith Baptist Church, 11328 S. Central Ave., Los Angeles.

“We just tried to do our best with our kids,” said his mother. “All we ever wanted to do was to help our kids.”