On a Thursday afternoon in the Bronx, a trip to a local pharmacy for eye drops turned fatal for 27-year-old Avanti Frowner, a male drill rapper from Los Angeles known as MoneyGangVontae. Frowner was in New York City for a performance and to film a music video when the tragic events of June 9, 2022, unfolded. He was accompanied by a friend when they were approached by a group of men outside the Amazing Pharmacy on East Tremont Avenue.
The encounter quickly escalated into a robbery.
Frowner and his friend were assaulted and robbed of their money, phones, and jewelry. As the perpetrators attempted to take his watch, Frowner was beaten to the ground. The violent ordeal moved inside the pharmacy, where Frowner was forced at gunpoint. It was there that he was shot multiple times in the torso. Despite being rushed to St. Barnabas Hospital, he succumbed to his injuries and was pronounced dead.
The investigation that followed led to the indictment of four men on charges including murder, manslaughter, robbery, and gang assault. Authorities identified the suspects as Isiah Garrett, 24; Allan Algarin, 23; Nayshon White, 25; and River Jones, 18. Garrett is alleged to have been the one who shot Frowner. While Jones was arrested in Westchester County, the other three suspects fled to Georgia where they were later apprehended. A fifth suspect is believed to have been involved but has not yet been caught. The attack, which was captured on surveillance video, has been described as a senseless act of violence.
