In the early morning hours of August 5, 2022, a verbal dispute outside an apartment building on Waltham Street in the Jamaica neighborhood of Queens, NY, escalated into deadly violence. Julian Askew, a 29-year-old man, became embroiled in an argument with two other men. The confrontation took a tragic turn when one of the men pulled out a firearm and shot Askew in the chest.
Emergency medical services rushed to the scene and transported Askew to Jamaica Hospital Medical Center in
critical condition. For more than three months, he fought for his life, eventually recuperating at his home on Guy R. Brewer Boulevard. However, on November 14, 2022, his condition worsened, and he was taken to Queens Hospital, where he succumbed to his injuries. Following his death, the NYPD reclassified the investigation as a homicide.
In the months that followed, the police investigation led to the identification of two suspects. Authorities released surveillance images to the public in an effort to locate them. One of the suspects was described as a man between 25 and 30 years of age, last seen wearing a white T-shirt, black shorts, and black Crocs. The second suspect was also described as being 25 to 30 years old and was last seen in a light blue T-shirt, black shorts, a dark-colored hat worn backward, and white and blue sneakers.
The investigation culminated in the arrest of 39-year-old Damion Howell of Auburndale, Queens, in May 2023, nine months after the fatal shooting. Howell was charged with murder and criminal possession of a weapon. At the time of Howell's arrest, there was no information released regarding the apprehension of the second suspect, and the investigation was reported to be ongoing.
