In the early morning hours of a summer day in the Bronx, a life of entrepreneurial ambition and fatherly devotion was tragically cut short. James Conner, a 37-year-old Black man known to his loved ones as Derell or Rell, was fatally shot in the head on July 26, 2020. The incident occurred at approximately 3:10 a.m. outside a building on Bronx Park East near Britton Street in the Allerton neighborhood. When emergency medical services arrived, they pronounced him dead at the scene.
Conner was one of eight individuals murdered in New York City on that violent day.
A man with a drive to succeed, Conner was the owner of a video production company called 'Sugar Free Visuals' and had aspirations of launching his own car service, Quick Fast Luxury Car Service. His mother, Vanessa Conner, described him as a hustler who was proud of his accomplishments and dedicated to being his own boss. Beyond his business pursuits, he was a devoted father to his three children, who were 16, 13, and 5 years old at the time of his death. His family remembers him as a man with deep love for them and plans for their future, making his sudden and violent death all the more devastating.
The investigation into James Conner's murder remains ongoing, and as of the latest available information, no arrests have been made in connection with his killing. The lack of resolution has added to the anguish of his family, who continue to seek justice for his untimely death. The case serves as a somber reminder of the impact of gun violence on families and communities, leaving behind a void where a father's love and an entrepreneur's dreams once flourished. The New York Police Department has asked for anyone with information regarding the shooting to come forward.
