Jaylen Duncan was 19 when he was fatally shot in Harlem on April 8, 2023. The Black male was struck in the head about 4:40 p.m. near Madison Avenue and East 132nd Street and later pronounced dead at Harlem Hospital. A neighbor described Duncan as mannerly and respectful and said the news was heartbreaking.

Investigators quickly identified 21-year-old Messiah Nantwi as a suspect, alleging he approached Duncan at close range, fired, and continued shooting after Duncan had fallen. Nantwi was arrested days later riding a Citi Bike on Lenox Avenue; a 9-mm handgun believed to be the murder weapon was recovered nearby. Nantwi was said to be out on bail from a February 2021 attempted murder of a police officer charge.

The killing sparked retaliatory violence connected to Lincoln Houses residents who blamed the One-Two-Nine crew, including the April 11, 2023 slaying of Hector Delgado and later indictments in that conspiracy. Nantwi was later charged in a second slaying on April 9, 2023 and indicted on two counts of second-degree murder and multiple weapons counts in the two deaths.

If anyone knew Jaylen, his routines, or saw activity near Madison Avenue and East 132nd Street that afternoon, please share what was seen.