LaShae Foster still remembers the moment she became friends with Christopher Butler – not at school, but by chance at Summit Mall during their freshman year at Firestone High School.
“I met Chris my freshman year of high school so that would’ve been the ’08-’09 school year,” Foster said. “We hadn’t spoken at school but on one particular occasion I was with my cousin at Summit Mall and we ran into him. He cracked one joke and we were immediate friends.”
That moment, she said, captured Butler’s personality – a mix of humor and warmth that stayed with him throughout his life.
“That’s who he was — he could make you playfully roll your eyes and laugh when you saw him coming because you knew he would have something funny to say,” Foster said.
Butler, 33, was shot and killed Feb. 3 in Akron, a loss that has prompted an outpouring of grief from friends, former classmates and loved ones across the community on social media.
Foster said Butler’s humor was matched by his generosity and compassion for others.
“He was generous, kind, uplifting, and understanding,” she said. “He would drive to you or call you on the phone and stay up with you just to talk about whatever it was on your mind.”
She said she came to know Butler well beyond his jokes, especially during high school when he dated one of her close friends.
“You never knew what he would say, but you knew his heart was pure and he protected those he cared about,” Foster said.
As friends and family continue to share memories, Foster said the response reflects the impact Butler had on people throughout his life.
“I pray for the people who were closest to him, as it is clear that this loss is profound,” she said. “The amount of love from people who knew him in childhood and/or adulthood speaks volumes, in my opinion.”
She described Butler as “both a timeless and unforgettable soul” and said he “will truly be missed.”
What happened to Christopher Butler on Whitepine Drive?
Akron police were called Feb. 3 to a home in the 800 block of Whitepine Drive after a report of a shooting.
Officers found Butler inside the bedroom of the residence with a gunshot wound to the neck. He was pronounced dead at the scene at 8:33 p.m.
Police arrested Butler’s girlfriend, Candace Jackson, 44, at the residence. Investigators said Butler went to Jackson’s residence and the two eventually became involved in a verbal altercation. During the encounter, police said Jackson grabbed a firearm, which discharged, striking Butler.
Authorities have said the investigation remains ongoing, and additional details surrounding the shooting have not been released.
Reporter Anthony Thompson can be reached at ajthompson@gannett.com, or on Twitter @athompsonABJ
This article originally appeared on Akron Beacon Journal: Christopher Butler remembered as investigation into his death continues
Reporting by Anthony Thompson, Akron Beacon Journal / Akron Beacon Journal
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