Jayla Heaven was 22 when she was fatally shot during a large house party in Hartford, Connecticut, in the early hours of July 4, 2022. Officers responded to the multi-family home on Shultas Place at about 2:15 a.m. and found Heaven unresponsive; she was taken to a hospital where she was pronounced dead. A man in his 20s was also shot and later went to a hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.

Investigators say both victims appear to have been caught in crossfire during a dispute at the gathering rather than being the intended targets. Family and friends held a vigil afterward, remembering Heaven as a radiant, beloved woman with a passion for cooking and calling for an end to gun violence. The Hartford Police Department is reviewing video evidence and following up on tips; no arrests have been announced.

If anyone at the party or anyone with information can help move this case forward, please contact the Hartford Police Department’s tip line.