Danielle Harlemon

Danielle Harlemon was a 28-year-old Black woman whose life was cut short in a sudden act of violence. Her mother would later say in court that her daughter "didn't look for trouble."

In the pre-dawn hours of Sunday, October 10, 2021, Danielle was a passenger on a Metro B (Red) Line train in Hollywood, California. Around 5:10 a.m., witnesses saw another passenger, a man described as "agitated," pacing on the train. The man began a verbal argument with Danielle, who was seated nearby. As the train came to a stop at the Hollywood/Vine station, the man shot her. He then exited the train and fled onto Hollywood Boulevard. When police arrived, they found other passengers performing CPR on Danielle. She was rushed to a hospital with gunshot wounds but was pronounced dead.

The shooter was identified as Andre Dunlap. At the time of the murder, Dunlap was homeless and on parole for an attempted robbery in Los Angeles. He had a prior conviction from 2018 for assaulting another passenger on a Metro train. After killing Danielle, Dunlap fled to his home state of Indiana.

Less than a month later, on November 4, 2021, Dunlap was arrested in South Bend, Indiana, following a joint operation by the Los Angeles Police Department, the FBI, and the South Bend Police Department. He was extradited to Los Angeles to stand trial for Danielle’s murder.

During the trial, Dunlap claimed he had acted in self-defense. The judge rejected this claim, stating, "You shot that woman in the neck when she stood up and took one step toward you." In court, Dunlap remained defiant, saying he would "do it again." Danielle’s mother addressed him directly during the proceedings, calling him a "coward" and a "punk." Dunlap was ultimately convicted of second-degree murder and possession of a firearm by a felon, with an added allegation that he personally used a firearm in the crime.

In August 2024, a judge sentenced Andre Dunlap to the maximum term of 61 years to life in state prison.