On the afternoon of October 17, 2021, 30-year-old Melvin Stanley was found inside a car on Hazel Street in New Haven suffering from gunshot wounds after a ShotSpotter alert and 911 calls about gunfire around 3:55 p.m. He was taken to Yale New Haven Hospital and pronounced deceased. The shooting was counted as New Haven’s 23rd homicide that year.

Stanley was a father of two with a third child on the way. Family remembered him as bright, tech-savvy, creative, and interested in carpentry despite difficulties finding an entry into the trade. Police seized a vehicle connected to the investigation and said the shooting did not appear random, though it was unclear whether Stanley was specifically targeted. No arrests or suspects had been publicly reported in the years after the killing.

Anyone who witnessed the shooting or has information was asked to contact the New Haven Police Department; anonymous tips were accepted. Does anyone have information or knew Melvin and can help shed light on what happened?