Together we can.

Joseph Adetula was killed on July 4, 2005, while he was walking home from a convenience store. It was a senseless crime, and the murderers left no real information: all witnesses could tell the police and Joseph's father Dayo was that the shooters were in a four-door gold or tan vehicle.

It was a stupid crime. Joseph Adetula died that day with nine bullets in him. 

But Joseph Adetula was not the only victim. Dayo was a victim. Joseph's friends and family will suffer by never seeing him or laughing with him again. And all the good things Joseph could have done are now gone forever. 

And the young men who shot Joseph will never rest again. No matter why they shot him, or whether they are caught, they will always know that they killed an innocent man. 

Whether shooters or victims, all our young people are victimized by these crimes. Both sides suffer, either a quick death of the body or a slow death of the soul. Dayo Adetula wants to treat the souls and hearts and minds of our young people, and ensure that these terrible, terrible things stop happening. 

Our children are doing these things because they think that is all they have. Sometimes their home lives are so bad they think there is nothing good to look forward to. Other times, drugs and violence seem like the only way to get the good things in life that they desperately want. 

The Joseph Adetula Foundation is here to teach them otherwise.

Joseph Adetula was a young man in his prime. He had many dreams and ambitions. He was a helpful person and often did chores for his parents. Little did his family expect In spite of the help of the police, the Adetula family has not yet achieved closure. They cannot get over their grief because their son’s murderer or murderers are still walking around, free to kill another person. They have not been brought to justice.Investigation by Detective Jeff Felton has shown that Joseph was shot in a drive by shooting by individuals riding in a gold Cadillac. He was shot nine times in the upper torso, which resulted in his death. Though no arrests have been made, the police have had word that there may have been bad blood between Joseph and his killers.Another source of pain for the family is that their request for compensation as the victim’s family has been denied. The Oklahoma Crime Victims Compensation Board states that the Adetula family is not qualified to receive compensation because the victim displayed contributory conduct by engaging in illegal activity (marijuana possession). Contributory conduct, according to the district attorney, is any decision or behavior on the victim’s part that contributed to the situation leading up to the crime. Examples they say may include intoxication, fighting, using poor judgment and membership in a gang, among others.Mr. Dayo Adetula cannot understand why their petition has been denied. He has checked the criteria for eligibility and feels that his son did nothing that disqualifies them. There have been no signs that this crime was anything other than a bunch of kids senselessly killing his son. The board has insufficient evidence to deny their claim because up to now, Joseph’s murderers have not been caught.The Adetula family has cooperated with every aspect of the investigation. They have done everything that the police and district attorney have asked of them. Their son did not do anything to deserve being shot. Walking down the street does not contribute to a crime.Joseph Adetula was not part of gang. He was not intoxicated. Nor was he under the influence of drugs at the time of his death. He did not sell drugs. In fact, although a small baggie of marijuana was found in his pocket at the time of his death, Detective Felton says that it appears consistent with personal use nothing more.The crime here is murder, not drug possession. The drug is irrelevant to this crime. The police themselves have verified that Joseph was not a drug pusher – he did not have the kind of money a drug dealer would require. Joseph’s killers are unknown to his family. If they knew, they’d have had them arrested already.Joseph is the victims here. Yet they are made to feel like it is Joseph’s fault. Where is the justice for Joseph Adetula and his family?

https://www.kjrh.com/news/local-news/oklahomas-cold-case-files-joseph-adetula

The Joseph Adetula Foundation is dedicated to stopping the violence that is killing and imprisoning our young people. But it truly does take a village. 

Our foundation wants to turn young people into the positive leaders of their communities. We want to show them how much they matter. Our mission is to show our youth the positive futures they could have if they avoid all the negative things around them, and then help them seize those futures. 

We also want to help the victims and families heal from tragic losses like that of Joseph Adetula. Losing a child is terrible; losing him in such a senseless way is the worst thing imaginable. But you can heal, and you can have a tomorrow again. The Joseph Adetula Foundation will help. 

Here's the reality. 

• In 2002, more than 877,700 young people ages 10 to 24 were injured through violent acts, and one in every thirteen was hospitalized. Not taken to the doctor, hospitalized, as an inpatient.
• In 2001, 5,486 young people ages 10 to 24 were murdered -- an average of 15 each day. That's fifteen young men and women every day who could have made a difference, who were instead senselessly snuffed out.
• Homicide is the second leading cause of death among young people ages 10 to 24 overall.
  • Leading cause of death for African-Americans
  • Second leading cause of death for Hispanics
  • Third leading cause of death for American Indians, Alaskan Natives, and Asian Pacific Islanders 
• In 2001, 79% of homicide victims ages 10 to 24 were killed with firearms
• In a nationwide survey, 17% of students reported carrying a weapon - a real one, not a butter knife or a plastic squirt gun -- on one or more days in the 30 days preceding the survey. That's one in every six students in school. That means on any given day, there are enough weapons in a school to mount a rebellion.
• 33% of students reported being in a physical fight one or more times in the 12 months preceding the survey. There is no information on how many of them used one of those weapons. 

And then there's substance abuse, which contributes significantly toward violent behavior: 

• 65% of the youth who drink alcohol say they get it from family and friends.
• By the 8th grade, 52% of adolescents have drunk alcohol, 41% have smoked cigarettes, and 20% have used marijuana
• In 2000, more than 60% of teens reported drugs were used, kept, or sold at their school.
• 50% of high school seniors admit drinking alcohol in the past 30 days with 32% report being drunk at least once in the same period. That's a third of our kids getting drunk! How are we missing this? 

This is not a problem. This is an epidemic. We must stop it. We must keep our children from dying, from being injured, and from going to jail for committing senseless acts of violence. 

Through education, expanded horizons, and self-esteem, we can release our young men from the real prisons: those of bad attitude and hopelessness. 

**The statistics cited above can be found on the CDC website.