Ormani Dajan Duncan, a 24-year-old resident of Pasadena, California, tragically lost his life on January 7, 2017. The incident occurred near the intersection of California Boulevard and St. John Avenue in Pasadena. Around midnight, Pasadena police responded to a vehicle crash and discovered Duncan and another man suffering from gunshot wounds. Duncan, who had multiple gunshot wounds, was pronounced dead at the scene.
The other man was hospitalized with injuries that were not considered life-threatening. The shooting was reported to have taken place in the 100 block of West Claremont Street, and the victims were believed to have been attempting to drive to Huntington Hospital when they crashed.
The investigation into Duncan's death revealed that he and Antoine Dewayne Sutphen Jr., another 24-year-old man, were attending a vigil for a young man who had been shot and killed on December 22, 2016, near the same location. During the vigil, a drive-by shooting occurred, resulting in the deaths of Duncan and Sutphen. A 38-year-old woman was also critically injured in the attack, while another man sustained non-life-threatening injuries. Witnesses reported hearing as many as 15 shots during the drive-by shooting. The motive for the shooting was initially unclear, but it was later believed to be gang-related.
Following a months-long investigation, Pasadena police arrested eight men in connection with a series of deadly shootings, including the one that claimed Duncan's life. The suspects, identified as Anthony Deon Edwards, Marquis Duran Turner, Isaiah Jack Daniels, Pernell Barnes, Charod Robinson, Derion Davon Lee, Andrew Vasquez, and John Wesley Robinson, were believed to be members of the Duarte street gang. They were booked on suspicion of various crimes, including murder, attempted murder, conspiracy to commit murder, and gang allegations. The arrests were part of a broader investigation into an alleged gang feud between Pasadena and Duarte street gangs, which had resulted in multiple homicides and attempted homicides between December 2016 and February 2017.
The investigation into Duncan's death and the subsequent arrests highlighted the ongoing issue of gang violence in the Pasadena area. Authorities emphasized the difficulty of the case and praised the police work that led to the apprehension of the suspects. The arrests brought some measure of justice for the victims and their families, but the broader issue of gang violence remained a significant concern for the community.
