In the summer of 2019, a single gunshot tragically ended the life of 28-year-old Arsenio Gravesande in the Brownsville neighborhood of Brooklyn, New York. On the evening of August 20th, at the corner of Union Street and Sutter Avenue, Gravesande was shot in the left hip. He was quickly transported to Brookdale Hospital, but the injury proved fatal, and he was pronounced dead.
In the immediate aftermath, Gravesande, a father of two, reportedly refused to identify the person who shot him to the police. His death was one of five homicides that occurred in New York City within a 24-hour period.
Remembered by loved ones as a man who brought the community together, his death prompted a vigil where friends and family gathered to mourn his loss. Candles were lit in his memory, illuminating the grief that had befallen his neighborhood. The investigation into his killing would unfold over the following weeks, ultimately leading to an arrest and a measure of justice for his family.
The man responsible for Arsenio Gravesande's death was identified as Devante James, a member of a subset of the Bloods street gang. In a violent act of gang-related rivalry, James chased Gravesande before shooting him. The investigation connected James to the crime, and he was eventually arrested. In June 2025, Devante James pleaded guilty to first-degree manslaughter for the killing of Gravesande, as well as second-degree attempted murder in connection with other incidents. He was subsequently sentenced to 25 years in prison, with five years of post-release supervision, for the spree of violence that included the untimely death of Arsenio Gravesande.
