In the Bronx, on the afternoon of March 5, 2021, a father of two named Travis Brooker was involved in a fatal encounter. Brooker, a 35-year-old Black male, was outside a deli on Rosedale Avenue near East Tremont Avenue at approximately 5:16 p.m. when an argument broke out between him and three other men. The dispute escalated, and Brooker was punched in the face.
Surveillance footage captured the moments that followed.
After being struck, Brooker appeared to draw a handgun from his pocket. In response, another man, who was carrying an Adidas backpack, pulled out his own firearm and shot Brooker in the head. The assailants then fled the scene. Emergency services were called, and Brooker was transported to Jacobi Hospital, where he was pronounced dead. He reportedly lived just a short distance from where the shooting occurred and was a father to two sons, one of whom was an infant at the time of his death.
The New York City Police Department launched an investigation into the homicide, seeking the public's help in identifying the three individuals seen in the surveillance footage. The investigation led to the identification of two suspects. In September 2021, one of the suspects, Angel Pabon, aged 22, was arrested. He was subsequently charged with murder, manslaughter, and criminal possession of a loaded firearm.
The police also identified a second suspect, 23-year-old Rashaun Lawrence. At the time of Pabon's arrest, Lawrence remained at large, and the NYPD continued to seek information from the public regarding his whereabouts. The case highlighted the ongoing issue of gun violence in the borough and the efforts of law enforcement to bring those responsible to justice.
