Duane E. Boomp Buckner Jr., 37, was shot dead in an Erie apartment at West 24th and Liberty streets in the early morning hours of Halloween 2019. Described as a father of three, an avid runner and a member of Mt. Ebal Baptist Church, Buckner was struck once in the hip and once in the back during an encounter with Jonathan Outlaw, then 36.

Outlaw was charged with first-degree murder but his defense said he shot Buckner in self-defense, portraying Buckner as verbally threatening and physically imposing at six and a half feet tall and 205 pounds. The defense also noted Buckner had a past accusation of attempted homicide and that his blood-alcohol content that morning was at least 0.114%. The prosecution maintained Buckner was unarmed and argued the shooting was intentional. The jury deliberated just over three hours and returned a not guilty verdict on all charges in March 2021, finding Outlaw’s actions legally justified as self-defense.

Does anyone have memories of Duane in the neighborhood or information about the events that morning?