On a cold December day in Buffalo, New York, the life of Christopher Lamar Pratt Sr., a 24-year-old Black male, was brought to a violent end. On December 1, 2014, Pratt was walking on Rother Avenue when he was confronted by a man with a personal vendetta. This encounter was not a random act of violence but was deeply rooted in a history of retribution.
The man who confronted Pratt was 32-year-old Antone Herrod. Herrod, accompanied by his girlfriend, spotted Pratt on the street.
It was believed that Pratt had shot Herrod's girlfriend's mother in 2012, an act that left her paralyzed. Fueled by this past event, Herrod retrieved a long gun from his vehicle and shot Pratt in the back, fatally wounding him.
Following the shooting, an investigation was launched by the Buffalo Police Department. Antone Herrod was identified as the suspect and was subsequently arrested and charged with second-degree murder. The case proceeded to trial in Erie County Court, where Herrod claimed he acted in self-defense. He alleged that he believed Pratt was reaching for a weapon in his own car, but a search of Pratt's vehicle yielded no firearm.
After three days of deliberations, the jury found Antone Herrod guilty of murder in the second degree. He was sentenced to a maximum of 25 years to life in prison for the death of Christopher Pratt. The tragic events of that day highlighted a cycle of violence and its devastating impact on the community.
