Duel Collins

Duel Avondal Collins, a 38-year-old Black man, was born in Manchester, Jamaica, on October 26, 1982, to parents Chloris Harrison and Duel Collins Sr. Known as Duel Collins Jr. to his loved ones, he built a life in Brooklyn, New York, where he was a resident of Canarsie. His life was cut short just weeks before his 39th birthday, leaving behind a grieving family and a community searching for answers.

In the late afternoon of Wednesday, September 1, 2021, just hours before the remnants of Hurricane Ida would bring historic rainfall and flooding to New York City, violence erupted on a street in Canarsie. At about 5:30 p.m., Duel was near the corner of Krier Place and East 92nd Street when a gunman opened fire. The location was just down the block from his home. The assailant shot Duel multiple times in the chest and torso before running off.

Officers from the New York Police Department's 69th Precinct responded to the scene and found Duel grievously wounded at the intersection. Emergency medical services rushed him to the nearby Brookdale University Hospital, but his injuries were too severe, and he was pronounced dead a short time later. The gunman fled and has not been identified.

The investigation into Duel Collins's murder was immediately launched by the NYPD. In the initial days, detectives had not determined a motive for the deadly shooting and did not have a description of the person responsible. The area of Canarsie where the shooting occurred is a residential neighborhood in southeastern Brooklyn, a community that would soon be grappling with the devastating effects of a major storm on top of this sudden act of violence.

A month after his death, on Friday, October 1, 2021, family and friends gathered to honor Duel's memory. A viewing was held from 4:00 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. at the Caribe Funeral Home on Utica Avenue in Brooklyn, followed by a memorial service that evening. The following day, Saturday, October 2, an interment service took place at Pine Lawn Cemetery in Farmingdale, New York, where he was laid to rest. A GoFundMe campaign was also established to remember his life.

As of the latest available reports from September 2021, the investigation into Duel Collins's homicide remains ongoing. No arrests have been made, and police have not publicly identified any suspects or persons of interest. The case remains unsolved, and the questions surrounding why he was targeted and by whom are still unanswered.

The New York Police Department continues to ask for the public's help in solving this case. Anyone with information regarding the shooting of Duel Collins is urged to contact Crime Stoppers at 800-577-TIPS (888-57-PISTA for Spanish). Tips can also be submitted online at crimestoppers.nypdonline.org or on Twitter by messaging @NYPDTips. All communications with Crime Stoppers are kept confidential.