In the early evening of June 20, 2022, emergency services were dispatched to the 2000 block of Lodi Street in Syracuse, New York, following reports of a shooting. Upon their arrival, police officers discovered 20-year-old Dasheem East, a Black / African American male, suffering from gunshot wounds. He was rushed to Upstate University Hospital, but his injuries proved to be fatal, and he was pronounced dead shortly after his arrival.
Dasheem was known as an aspiring artist who was deeply family-oriented.
The Syracuse Police Department's Homicide Unit immediately launched a comprehensive investigation into the killing. Detectives conducted numerous interviews, canvassed the neighborhood for any potential witnesses or evidence, and executed several search warrants in their pursuit of leads. Their efforts eventually pointed them toward a single suspect, 21-year-old Kavion Strong. The investigation determined that Strong had fled the state following the incident.
A significant break in the case came on September 7, 2022, when law enforcement in Las Vegas, Nevada, responded to a domestic dispute involving Kavion Strong. He was taken into custody by the Las Vegas Police, and it was discovered that he was wanted in connection with the murder of Dasheem East. Following his arrest, Strong was extradited back to Syracuse to face legal proceedings.
Kavion Strong was subsequently charged with second-degree murder and second-degree criminal possession of a weapon. In September of 2023, the case against him reached its conclusion. Strong accepted a plea agreement, pleading guilty to the charges brought against him. As a result of his guilty plea, he was promised a sentence of 25 years in prison for his role in the death of Dasheem East.
