In the late summer of 2014, the life of 22-year-old Austaniel Emmanuel Brown was tragically cut short on the streets of Baltimore, Maryland. Known affectionately to his family and friends as Man-Man, he was fatally shot on September 3, 2014, in the 4900 block of Park Heights Avenue. The incident added another name to the city's grim tally of gun violence victims that year.
Austaniel, born on November 4, 1991, was a Baltimore native who had been educated within the city's school system.
He was a man with a creative spirit, finding a passion for writing poems and lyrics for a burgeoning music career as a rapper. Beyond his artistic pursuits, he had a love for the thrill of riding dirt bikes and the discipline of boxing. He was a family man, engaged to be married to Sharma Farabee, with whom he shared a young daughter, Au'Brae, who was the center of his world.
The investigation into Austaniel's murder led Baltimore police to a suspect within weeks. On September 18, 2014, the Regional Warrant Apprehension Task Force took 18-year-old Leron Gibbs into custody. Gibbs was subsequently charged with the murder of Austaniel Brown. The charges brought against him included first and second-degree murder, as well as other gun-related offenses. Following his arrest, Leron Gibbs was held at the Baltimore City Detention Center.
