Keith Holden

Known as “dancing Keith,” Keith Holden was a beloved figure in New York City’s reggae dancehall community. The 54-year-old Black / African American man from Manhattan was stylish, fun-loving, and described by those who knew him as the life of the party. The youngest of seven children in a tight-knit family, he worked for 30 years at Billy Jeans Hair Salon in Harlem. One niece fondly recalled seeing him dance on “Showtime at The Apollo” as a child, remembering him as the first celebrity she ever met.

In the early morning hours of July 30, 2021, Holden was attending a get-together in the Bronx. Around 4:52 a.m., police responded to a 911 call at 1326 E. Gun Hill Road. They arrived to find Holden lying on his back outside with a single gunshot wound to his face. According to a family member, his body had been dragged outside after he was shot. First responders rushed him to NYC Health + Hospitals/Jacobi, where he was listed in critical condition.

Holden fought for his life for nine days before he was pronounced dead on August 9, 2021. His death was ruled a homicide, and the New York Police Department launched an investigation. Detectives quickly identified a suspect and asked the public for help in locating 40-year-old Jabal Gordon of Middletown, New York.

After a search that lasted more than two months, authorities located Gordon at a Super 8 motel in Nyack. He was taken into custody on October 6, 2021. According to police, Gordon confessed to the shooting, stating that he was already agitated after a “bad day” and became angered when Holden began making a racket. Holden’s niece later called the motive “senseless,” remarking, “How about not bringing a gun to a party?”

Gordon was charged with murder, manslaughter, and criminal possession of a weapon. Holden’s family, who expressed relief at the arrest, held a funeral and a posthumous birthday party to honor his memory and keep his yearly tradition alive. He was buried in Linden, New Jersey, alongside his mother and sister. As of October 2021, Jabal Gordon had been arrested and charged in connection with Keith Holden's death.