Chyna U. Forney was an 18-year-old high school senior with a future full of promise. A student at Albany Leadership Charter High School for Girls, she was just weeks away from graduation in the spring of 2021. Known for her radiant smile and bubbly personality, Chyna was a leader on her school's track team and had plans to continue the sport in college. She was also a talented dancer and a dedicated employee, having worked her way up to a manager position at a local McDonald's. Her family and friends remembered her as a wonderful human being who had her whole life ahead of her.
That future was stolen on the afternoon of May 3, 2021. At around 2:30 p.m., gunfire erupted on Essex Street, near Rawson Street, in Albany, New York. Chyna was caught in the crossfire of what police determined was a drive-by shooting. When officers arrived, they found her in the road with a gunshot wound to her back. She was rushed to Albany Medical Center, but her injury was fatal, and she was pronounced dead. Investigators later determined that Chyna was not the intended target of the violence. The street was left littered with more than 40 shell casings, and several cars were struck by bullets.
The Albany Police Department’s Criminal Investigation Unit launched an intensive investigation that quickly identified two suspects. Ten days after the shooting, on May 13, police arrested 18-year-old Alvin Foy. He was charged with second-degree murder, first-degree reckless endangerment, and criminal possession of a weapon. A second suspect, 19-year-old Jahmere Manning, was arrested in early June and faced similar charges. Prosecutors stated that Foy and Manning had fired at least 31 shots from a vehicle, aiming for another individual in a group of people, when they struck Chyna instead.
Jahmere Manning’s case was the first to be resolved. In October 2022, he pleaded guilty to a second-degree murder charge as part of a plea agreement. At his sentencing, Chyna's mother, Shannon Forney, expressed her grief, stating, "I really don’t feel justice was served, because at the end of the day, he still gets to be on the streets when he returns." The judge, Roger McDonough, admonished Manning for his "meaningless" apology and the destructive wave of violence in the community, noting that Manning and Chyna had attended the same school. Manning was sentenced to 20 years to life in prison.
Alvin Foy maintained his innocence and his case went to trial. In April 2023, a jury found him guilty of second-degree murder, attempted murder, and weapons charges. During his sentencing hearing in July 2023, Foy was removed from the courtroom for laughing while Chyna's sister read her victim impact statement. The judge noted his profound lack of remorse before handing down the maximum sentence of 25 years to life in state prison.
Chyna’s senseless death sent a shockwave of grief through the Albany community. A memorial of candles, stuffed animals, and messages of love grew at the site of the shooting. A GoFundMe campaign organized to help her family with expenses far exceeded its goal, demonstrating the community's outpouring of support. Her mother remembered her daughter's hard work and bright spirit, while friends and classmates mourned the loss of a vibrant young leader. Though her killers were brought to justice, the loss of Chyna Forney remains a painful reminder of a life cut tragically short.
