In the late hours of a Saturday night in Harlem, Manhattan, the life of 18-year-old Tylik Allen was tragically cut short. On September 30, 2017, the promising high school football player was gunned down just three blocks from his home. A senior at KIPP NYC College Prep in the Bronx, Allen was a talented running back with aspirations of playing in college.
He was of Jamaican-American descent.
On the night he was killed, Allen was walking with friends near West 115th Street and Lenox Avenue. An assailant approached the group and chased Allen up the block before opening fire, striking him multiple times in the chest and back. He was rushed to Mount Sinai St. Luke's Hospital, but ultimately succumbed to his injuries. The shooting occurred the night before his team was scheduled to play a game, which was subsequently canceled.
The community was left reeling from the sudden and violent loss of a young life full of potential. Friends, family, and classmates gathered for an impromptu memorial outside his home, lighting candles and sharing memories of a beloved friend and athlete who also had passions for rap music and fashion. In a lasting tribute to his memory, the New York City Council was petitioned to co-name a street 'Tylik Allen Way' at the intersection of West 112th Street and Malcolm X Boulevard, near his home.
Despite the efforts of the New York Police Department, no arrests have been made in connection with the murder of Tylik Allen. The case remains unsolved, and authorities continue to seek information from the public that could lead to the identification and apprehension of the person or persons responsible for his death. The killer fled the scene immediately after the shooting, and a motive for the attack has not been publicly released. Allen's family and community are still awaiting justice for his untimely death.
