In the early morning hours of June 6, 2021, a senseless act of violence cut short the life of 29-year-old Akeem White in the Kips Bay neighborhood of Manhattan. At approximately 4:22 a.m., police responded to a 911 call reporting a person shot opposite 330 East 26th Street. Upon arrival, officers discovered White unconscious and unresponsive, suffering from a gunshot wound to his head.
He was rushed to NYC Health + Hospitals/Bellevue, where he was pronounced dead.
The investigation into the shooting revealed a chillingly casual motive. According to sources, White was simply walking down the street when he encountered a man he did not know. An aggressive exchange ensued, with the man questioning why White was looking at him. Following this brief and seemingly trivial confrontation, the assailant allegedly shot White. The motive for the shooting remains officially unclear, though it has been reported that the dispute was over White 'looking at the killer the wrong way.'
Three months after the fatal shooting, an arrest was made in the case. On September 9, 2021, 39-year-old Terrence Yates of Brooklyn was taken into custody in Los Angeles by U.S. Marshals. Yates was charged with murder, attempted murder, and criminal possession of a weapon in connection with Akeem White's death. Authorities stated that Yates had fled to the West Coast immediately following the shooting.
