Tayvion Carter was 17 and a senior at Proctor High School when he was shot in the head on the 110 block of Smith Place in Utica, New York, on the evening of January 17, 2024, at approximately 9:30 p.m. He was taken to Wynn Hospital but died of his injuries. Known for dancing in the school hallways, playing basketball and video games with siblings and friends, and for playful pranks, his death has hit family and the community hard.

The Utica Police Department’s Major Crimes Unit opened a homicide investigation and has been appealing to the public for information. No arrests or suspects have been publicly identified, and the investigation remains ongoing. If anyone has information about what happened that night, contact the Utica Police Department or leave an anonymous tip with Mohawk Valley Crime Stoppers.