On the evening of September 30, 2022, a violent encounter in Harlem would ultimately claim the life of 41-year-old Saladeen Cochrane. That night, Cochrane was found unresponsive on West 144th Street, having sustained a gunshot wound to his head. Emergency services rushed him to a nearby hospital, but his injuries proved fatal, and he succumbed to them three days later.
The incident that led to the shooting began with a physical altercation between Cochrane and a younger man, Tomas Dunn.
The conflict was rooted in a past relationship Cochrane had with Dunn's mother years earlier. Following their initial fight, Dunn, who was 22 at the time, met up with friends and put on a thick vest for protection. He then sought out Cochrane, who was walking to his own mother's apartment. Dunn ambushed Cochrane, shouting at him before opening fire and shooting at least eight times. Cochrane was struck in the back of the head as he tried to flee. After the shooting, Dunn fled to his mother's apartment.
More than two weeks after the fatal shooting, authorities arrested Tomas Dunn in connection with the murder. He was subsequently indicted on charges of second-degree murder and criminal possession of a weapon. In June 2024, Dunn pleaded guilty to a lesser charge of first-degree manslaughter. Two months later, a judge sentenced him to 18 years in state prison for the killing of Saladeen Cochrane.
