In the late hours of a November night in 2015, the 14th-floor hallway of the Langston Hughes Houses in Brownsville, Brooklyn, became a grim crime scene. There, 47-year-old Dupree Powerful Dunbar, a Black/African American man, was discovered, having been shot twice in the chest. Lying nearby was his 25-year-old son, Dupris 'Bango' Moore, who had sustained a fatal gunshot wound to the head. Both men were pronounced dead at the scene on November 27, 2015.
The building was immediately put on lockdown as a heavy police presence descended upon the public housing complex.
Dunbar was a well-known figure in the Brownsville community, with a reputation for alleged involvement in gang activities. His criminal history included convictions for weapons possession, robbery, and conspiracy. This influence reportedly extended to his family, with some of his sons also having purported ties to local gangs. In a major 2012 NYPD operation dubbed 'Operation Tidal Wave,' two of Dunbar's sons were among 43 alleged members of the Wave Gang and the rival Hoodstarz who were arrested.
Despite the high-profile nature of the double homicide and Dunbar's notorious reputation, the investigation into the killings of him and his son has not led to any arrests. The New York City Police Department has repeatedly appealed to the public for any information that might lead to a breakthrough in the case. Detectives have explored various potential motives for the murders, but the case remains open and unsolved. The violent deaths of Dupree Dunbar and Dupris Moore left the community in a state of shock, grappling with the persistent issue of gang violence in the area.
