On the night of Sunday, February 8, 2026, 33-year-old Jonathan Pitts was fatally shot at approximately 10:07 p.m. at Playmakers Sports Bar, 901 Park Avenue, Syracuse. Shots were reported in the area and detected by the city’s ShotSpotter system. Officers arriving on scene found evidence that shots had been exchanged. Pitts was taken by private vehicle to Crouse Hospital with a gunshot wound to the chest and was later pronounced dead.

An obituary described Pitts as a devoted and loving father and a hard worker; he is survived by his son, a step-daughter, the mother of his son, his parents, and several siblings and other relatives. Syracuse Police Criminal Investigations detectives say they conducted interviews, canvassed the neighborhood, executed search warrants, and processed physical evidence as part of the probe.

Detectives identified 51-year-old Willie A. Hill Jr. as a suspect. On Saturday, February 21, 2026, following a citizen tip, Hill was located at Turning Stone Resort Casino in Verona and arrested by Oneida Indian Nation Police without incident; he was turned over to Syracuse authorities and charged with second-degree criminal possession of a firearm and criminal possession of a weapon. The investigation is ongoing.

If anyone was at Playmakers that evening or has information about the shooting, please come forward with tips.