In the fall of 1948, a tragic event unfolded in Chester, Pennsylvania, forever marking the life of Fred Casino. On November 6th, the 38-year-old Black/African American man found himself in the midst of a horrific mass shooting. The perpetrator was Melvin Collins, a man also known as 'Bad Boy' Collins, who had a history of violence. Just a week prior to the incident, Collins, also 38, had taken up residence in a local boarding room.
On that fateful Saturday morning, Collins barricaded
himself and unleashed a wave of violence that would claim multiple lives, including that of Fred Casino. The shooting rampage left the community in shock and mourning. Among the other victims were Edward Boyer, age 24; Aiken Johnson, age 49; Detective Ellery Bertram Purnsley, age 56; Samuel Hill Lytle, age 57; Louise Moore, age 40; James Simons, age 41; and Peter Parker.
The motive and the specific sequence of events that led to Casino's death were part of the larger, chaotic crime scene created by Collins. In the aftermath, the focus of the investigation was on the shooter, Melvin Collins, who was identified as the sole person responsible for the multiple homicides that day.
