In a tragic sequence of events that unfolded in the Bronx, 34-year-old Akil Duro lost his life in a senseless act of violence that also led to the death of his father from what relatives believe was a broken heart. The incident began on an August evening in 2017 in the Williamsbridge section of the borough, when a dispute unrelated to Duro erupted in his apartment building.
Akil Duro, a father of two, was at home when a commotion broke out in the hallway.
A man, later identified by police as 25-year-old Elijah Smith, had been involved in an argument with one of Duro's neighbors. After being forced out of the neighbor's apartment, Smith allegedly returned with a firearm and fired shots. One of the bullets pierced the door of Duro's apartment, striking him in the torso. He was rushed to a nearby hospital in critical condition.
Two days after the shooting, Akil Duro succumbed to his injuries and was declared brain dead. In a devastating turn of events, on the very same day, his father, Okera Ras I, suffered a fatal heart attack. Family members reported that the elder Ras was overwhelmed with grief upon learning of his son's grave condition.
The New York Police Department identified Elijah Smith as the suspect in Akil Duro's death and released his photograph to the public, offering a reward for information leading to his arrest. Smith was described as having black hair and brown eyes, and was believed to have fled the scene in a gray four-door sedan with Connecticut license plates. At the time of the initial investigation, the police were actively searching for him, though it is not publicly known if he was ever apprehended.
