Fourteen-year-old Justin Streeter was fatally shot in broad daylight in Harlem on July 19, 2022. Justin, who had recently moved with his family to Plainfield, New Jersey, had returned to the neighborhood to say goodbyes and visit grandparents and friends. He and his 15-year-old best friend had just left a deli on East 128th Street near Park Avenue when an assailant approached and opened fire. Justin was struck in the head and later died at Harlem Hospital; his friend survived after being shot in the leg.

Investigators recovered seven shell casings at the scene. Police said they initially considered the possibility of mistaken identity and looked into a gang-related motive, while noting neither victim had gang affiliations. Nearly a week after the shooting, a 17-year-old male turned himself in to the 25th Precinct and was arrested on charges that included murder, attempted murder, assault, and criminal use of a firearm.

Justin’s family had moved away from the city seeking a safer life for their children; his father expressed deep grief and a plea for justice after the killing. Did anyone in Harlem that day see Justin or his friend walking near East 128th Street and Park Avenue?