In the early hours of a spring night in Syracuse, New York, a place his family had chosen to escape the violence of their native Sudan, Akok P. Lual's life was tragically cut short. A 24-year-old male, Lual had moved to the United States with his family in 2005. He was working as a sales associate at a Lowe's in North Syracuse. On April 16, 2022, Lual was in the downtown area of Armory Square when a burst of gunfire erupted.
The shooting took place around 12:14 a.m.
between Al's Wine and Whiskey Lounge and DP Dough, a popular late-night spot. In the chaos, five people were struck by bullets, including Akok Lual and his younger brother, Lual Lual. Both brothers, along with the three other victims, were rushed to Upstate University Hospital for treatment. Tragically, Akok succumbed to his injuries and was pronounced deceased. His brother and the other three individuals were left to recover from their wounds.
The investigation into the shooting quickly pointed to a single suspect, 23-year-old Brandon Rolfe of Syracuse. A few days later, on the morning of April 19, Rolfe turned himself in to the Syracuse Police Department's homicide detectives. He was subsequently arrested and booked into the Onondaga County Justice Center. Prosecutors brought forward a series of serious charges against Rolfe, including one count of second-degree murder for the death of Akok Lual, four counts of attempted second-degree murder for the other victims, and one count of criminal possession of a weapon.
During the legal proceedings, the tragic irony of Akok's death was not lost on his grieving family. His parents, Peter and Mary Lual, spoke of their decision to flee the civil war in Sudan in search of a safer life for their children, only to have their son taken from them by an act of violence in their new home. Brandon Rolfe initially pleaded not guilty to the charges. However, he was ultimately convicted and sentenced to a term of 30 years to life in prison for his actions that night. The sentence included a minimum of 25 years for the murder charge, with concurrent sentences for the attempted murder charges.
