On a Thursday evening in Brooklyn, what began as a simple walk home for two brothers ended in a senseless tragedy that would forever alter their family. Davon Williams, a 23-year-old father of two, was with his younger brother, Diazhan Williams, on Nostrand Avenue in their Bedford-Stuyvesant neighborhood on October 3, 2019. The two were just around the corner from their home when a man across the street began to stare at them, creating a sense of unease.
Diazhan decided to confront the
man, crossing the street to ask why he was staring. The man, later identified as 46-year-old Azeem Patron, responded not with words, but with sudden and shocking violence. He pulled out a gun and began firing indiscriminately. In the chaos, Davon Williams was struck in the chest. He collapsed on the sidewalk as his brother and other family members who were nearby scrambled for cover behind parked cars. Despite being rushed to Kings County Hospital, his life could not be saved.
The aftermath of the shooting left a community in mourning and a family devastated by the loss of a man described as funny, loving, and family-oriented. Davon was a hardworking individual who supported his 7-year-old son and 4-month-old daughter by working at a local bodega and making deliveries. His sudden death was a stark reminder of the random nature of gun violence.
The investigation into Davon Williams' murder led to the swift arrest of Azeem Patron, a man with a long and violent criminal history that included convictions for attempted murder and robbery. At the time of the shooting, he was on parole for criminal weapons possession. Patron was charged with second-degree murder, attempted murder, reckless endangerment, and criminal possession of a weapon. Following a trial, a judgment was rendered against him on December 13, 2022.
