In the late hours of a cold January evening in Baltimore, tragedy befell 28-year-old Donte Lee, a Black/African American man whose life was cut short by gunfire. On January 24, 2022, at approximately 10:07 p.m., the sound of shots fired echoed through the 2200 block of Ruskin Avenue. When police arrived, they discovered Donte Lee suffering from multiple gunshot wounds; he was pronounced dead at the scene.
The investigation into Lee's murder led authorities to two suspects, Daquan Hawks
and Leonard Joyner. According to prosecutors, the incident was an ambush. Lee and another individual were parked in a car when two men in black masks approached and opened fire. In the ensuing chaos, Lee managed to return fire before he was fatally struck. The second person with Lee was able to escape unharmed.
Both Daquan Hawks and Leonard Joyner were arrested and faced multiple charges, including first-degree murder. The case against them proceeded to trial, where the prosecution's arguments relied heavily on the testimony of the surviving victim. However, the defense raised questions about the witness's credibility. Ultimately, the trials concluded with acquittals for both men on the murder charges. Joyner was acquitted in February, and in a separate trial that concluded in August, a jury found Hawks not guilty of murder and other serious charges. Hawks was, however, found guilty of being a minor in possession of a firearm at the time of the shooting.
