In the winter of 2021, the life of 14-year-old Akeem Mahid Stevens Jr., a male resident of Poughkeepsie, New York, was tragically cut short. On the evening of January 8th, Akeem was inside a residence on Conklin Street when he was shot in the head. Following the shooting, he was first taken to MidHudson Regional Hospital and then airlifted to Westchester Medical Center.
Despite the medical efforts, Akeem succumbed to his injuries on Sunday, January 10, 2021.
Known affectionately as 'Keem Keem,' Akeem was a student within the Poughkeepsie City School District. He was remembered as a happy and friendly boy with a love for basketball and music, who enjoyed spending time with his friends and family. A GoFundMe page created to assist with funeral expenses described him as the oldest of eight children with a promising future that was violently taken from him.
The investigation into Akeem's death was met with significant challenges. Authorities reported that girls who were present at the residence at the time of the shooting were either unable or unwilling to provide crucial information about the incident. This lack of cooperation from eyewitnesses became a major obstacle for law enforcement in piecing together the events that led to the fatal shooting.
As a result of the difficulties faced by investigators, there have been no arrests made in connection with the murder of Akeem Mahid Stevens Jr. The case remains unresolved, leaving a community to mourn and a family still waiting for justice for the loss of a young life. His death marked the third time in seven months that a teenager in Poughkeepsie had been a victim of gun violence, highlighting a larger issue of youth and gang-related violence in the city.
