On the morning of Friday, February 5, 2021, 28-year-old Cleveland Byfield, a Black man from Hartford, Connecticut, was found injured on Retreat Avenue just before 6 a.m. First responders transported him to Hartford Hospital, where he was pronounced dead from a gunshot wound. The initial emergency call reportedly mentioned someone possibly struck by a vehicle, but officers at the scene noted injuries more consistent with a gunshot or stab wound.

Investigators determined the incident that led to Byfield’s death began on Maple Avenue. The Hartford Police Major Crimes and Crime Scene Divisions cordoned off areas on both streets as they processed evidence. In the days after the killing, friends and family held a candlelit vigil at the location where he was found; his mother described him as a protector who loved his family and his children and wanted peace among everyone. No suspects or arrests had been identified publicly and the motive remained unknown.

If anyone saw activity on Maple Avenue or Retreat Avenue in the early morning hours of February 5, 2021, or has information about Cleveland Byfield’s death, please come forward.