In the spring of 2021, a young Black man from Schenectady, New York, named Xiaa Price, was on the cusp of his 22nd birthday. Known to his loved ones as an outgoing and cherished individual who was raised in the church, his life was tragically cut short on May 11, 2021. On that day, in the parking lot of a Motel 6 on Curry Road in Colonie, the 21-year-old was fatally shot. Price was with his younger brother at the time, attempting to drive away when he was shot in the head.
The gunshot caused their vehicle to crash in the motel parking lot. Despite efforts by police to revive him at the scene, Xiaa Price succumbed to a single gunshot wound.
The investigation into Price's death, described by his family as a senseless act of violence possibly stemming from a robbery attempt by masked assailants, quickly led to arrests. Days after the shooting, Colonie police apprehended 23-year-old Paul A L Streeks of Schenectady. He was charged with second-degree murder and criminal possession of a weapon. The investigation continued, and a second suspect, 22-year-old Desirique Johnson, also from Schenectady, was arrested and charged with second-degree murder. A third man, Kenneth Spencer, was also implicated in the crime.
The legal process that followed revealed more details about the tragic event. Paul Streeks, identified as the triggerman, ultimately pleaded guilty to first-degree manslaughter, a charge that carried a lesser sentence than the initial murder charge. In November 2022, he was sentenced to 25 years in state prison. His co-defendant, Kenneth Spencer, pleaded guilty to attempted first-degree assault and was sentenced to eight years in prison. The third man, Desirique Johnson, also pleaded guilty to attempted first-degree assault and received a five-year prison sentence. The resolution of the court cases brought a measure of closure to a tragedy that took the life of a young man on the verge of his birthday, a man remembered by his family for his big heart and vibrant personality.
