Victim of Baltimore bus stabbing was sweet boy ‘trying to figure out how to be a man in this society,’ mother says

While the family of 14-year-old Cortez Lemon grieves, the community is honoring his memory.

“He was a very courageous, God-fearing, sweet boy,” Lemon’s mother, Angel White, said of her son. “He was a young boy trying to figure out how to be a man in this society.”

On July 10, Lemon was going to hang out with friends when he was involved in an altercation on a bus in the 4200 block of Frankford Avenue, his mother said. According to police, he was stabbed multiple times by the suspect during the altercation. Lemon ran off the bus and died from his injuries in front of a nearby liquor store, his mother said.

An 18-year-old suspect was arrested shortly after the incident and charged with first-degree murder, police said.

Lemon lived with his mother, stepfather, grandmother and two younger sisters in the Clifton area of Baltimore. His father, Cortez Lemon Sr., was fatally stabbed at 23 years old in April 2012 in Lexington Market. A 21-year-old man was arrested and charged in the killing the following day.

“It’s very crazy and ironic that he was murdered in a similar way to his father,” White said.

Lemon played sports for his school while he tried to make money by selling water bottles with his friends to help around the house.

“He was very protective,” White said. “He would do his best to try to give me money when he had it.”

Before Lemon’s death, he was preparing to head to Reach Academy for ninth grade. A vigil was held in Northeast Baltimore for Lemon last week. After staff at Lemon’s school, Leith Walk Elementary Middle School, were notified, faculty attended the vigil to honor Lemon.

A second vigil for Lemon will be held at Leith Walk Elementary Middle School from 4 to 5 p.m. July 22.

“For all the young men and women, I just want to say: Stop the violence,” White said.