On August 12, 2014, 14-year-old Raymond Floyd Patterson III was shot and killed on a footbridge over the Kensington Expressway near the Kenfield-Langfield housing development in Buffalo, New York. A fight between two teenage girls drew a crowd; a man opened fire into that crowd and Raymond, an innocent bystander, was struck in the back, arm, and leg as he tried to flee. He died on the footbridge. Three other teenagers were wounded and survived.

Police quickly identified and arrested 28-year-old Joseph Gant two days after the shooting; he was charged with second-degree murder and three counts of first-degree assault and pleaded not guilty at arraignment, held without bail. Witnesses testified at trial and Gant was later convicted. On the one-year anniversary of Raymond’s death, Gant, then 29, received a 35 years to life sentence for murder, attempted murder, and criminal possession of a weapon; he offered a brief apology before sentencing and his attorney said they would appeal.

If anyone knew Raymond, was at the footbridge that day, or has information about the events leading up to the shooting, please come forward.