William Allen was 37 when he was fatally shot in the early morning of Sunday, August 27, 2017, near the Reed Village housing complex in Springfield, Massachusetts. He was found shot at about 3:00 a.m.; family members were awakened by a neighbor who said a body had been found and it was believed to be William. He worked for UPS and was a Central High School graduate, known to friends and family as Will or Grill Will because he loved grilling and often fed anyone who came to his home.

Allen’s death was one of two fatal shootings Springfield police were investigating that weekend. By late 2019 no arrests had been announced, and his family has publicly pleaded for information, saying they want justice and closure and describing him as a family man who hoped to one day open his own restaurant. The case remains unsolved; neighbors or anyone with information are asked to contact the police.