Justice Michael Dunham

Just 7 days after his 17th birthday, his life that was just beginning cut too short. Justice’s was murdered by one single gunshot to his chest in the Menchville High School parking lot, minutes after the end of a Newport News public high school basketball game. His tragic death is another young life taken too soon due to senseless gun violence in our city, community, and schools.

Even though Justice’s life was taken from us before his time, he lived his life shining like the bright star he was.

Justice was born on December 8, 2004 to January Serda and Michael Dunham at Riverside Hospital in Newport News, Virginia. Immediately after birth, Justice was wide eyed, curious and ready for this world. His fun sense of humor and hilarious jokes will be something most will remember about Justice. His infectious smile and spunky energy always lit up a room. If Justice was at the party, we were having a party-party.

Justice was a son, a brother, a grandson, a cousin, a nephew, a friend, an athlete, and strived to be the hardest worker in the room, basketball court or on the football field.

Justice was a thriving junior at Woodside High School and enjoyed music and playing football. Coach Carr shared “Justice is one of my favorites to teach and coach. He’s great and I’m lucky enough to mentor! Great, great kid.” While in school, he worked at Panera Bread, played varsity football, and always made time to help his family and friends. Justice was passionate about music, sports, fashion, and enjoyed creating bold, unique, things and ideas. He was a fearless trailblazer, a confident trendsetter, and a brave warrior on the football field. He did everything 100. Even at such a very young age, his loyalty to his family and his close friends was unbreakable. Ms. White, Woodside Football Team Mom #1 shared “Justice was so full of business. Get it done mindset! He was my little polite soldier! He was intentional and did whatever I asked of him…no questions or hesitations.” His hard work ethic, discipline and personal drive to be successful had Justice on a trajectory to a promising, bright future.

Justice’s memory will be forever cherished by his teammates at Woodside High School, his friends, and his family. He fiercely loved his family and friends and felt a convicting duty to protect and support. Since a little boy, he protected and supported his mother. Any man that came up too close to his mom, he stood his little body right in the middle and would stomp his little size 3 foot on that man’s foot till he “back up off my moms!” Justice would have tattooed “Ride or Die” across his forehead if he was allowed to. If anyone messed with his big brother, Justice was coming out fists in the air ready to take down anyone hurting his Angel. He had to be reminded a few times he was the little brother. And that is really the only thing that was little about Justice – everything else, he was big. Huge. Colossal. A colossal soul, spirit, and lifeforce this world will never fully know because his life was tragically cut way too early.

The family requests all condolences and support be made in way of a gift to the Virginia Peninsula Boys and Girls Club where Justice’s mom and dad formerly worked and loved, and he and his brother grew up attending every summer.