Sean Butler, 36, was shot to death on April 8, 2026, after a dispute at the basketball courts near Schiller Park in Buffalo, New York. Police were called just before 8:30 p.m. for a report of someone lying in the street and bleeding from the head; officers found Butler with a gunshot wound to the head and he was pronounced dead at the scene.

Butler was remembered by loved ones as a youth mentor who tried to keep younger people away from violence. Only hours before he was killed he had posted a TikTok video saying he was going to the court to play basketball and give young people something to do. Police said an argument at the court escalated into a fight and then a shooting; city officials noted this was the third homicide in Buffalo that week, though they said the incidents did not appear connected.

Family and friends held a vigil and urged witnesses to come forward. No arrest or suspect had been publicly identified and police asked anyone with information to contact the Buffalo Police confidential tip line. Anyone who saw what happened or knows anything that could help should contact investigators.