On a tragic Thursday evening in Lawrence, Kansas, on July 17, 2025, the life of 21-year-old Javien Hardin was cut short in a violent sequence of events. The incident unfolded shortly after 8 p.m. in the southern end of the Edgewood Homes complex, located in the 1600 block of Haskell Avenue. Hardin, a Black/African American male, was fatally shot while waiting inside a truck.
The events of that evening began when a 22-year-old woman arrived at her residence to find her recent
ex-boyfriend, 24-year-old Donavon Deleon, inside. An altercation ensued, prompting the woman to flee from her home. She sought refuge in a nearby truck where Hardin was waiting. It was there that Deleon allegedly approached the vehicle and shot Hardin.
Following the shooting of Hardin, Deleon pursued the woman as she ran and shot her as well, leaving her with critical, life-threatening injuries. She was subsequently airlifted to an area trauma center for emergency medical treatment. After shooting the woman, authorities believe Deleon took his own life with a self-inflicted gunshot wound. He was found deceased at the scene.
When Lawrence police officers responded to multiple 911 calls reporting gunfire, they discovered a grim scene. Javien Hardin was found dead inside the vehicle from an apparent gunshot wound. Donavon Deleon was found dead on the ground nearby. The 22-year-old woman was suffering from critical injuries. The police have identified Donavon Deleon as the suspected shooter in the death of Javien Hardin. The investigation concluded that the incident was a murder-suicide stemming from a domestic dispute. There have been no other arrests in connection with this case, as the sole suspect is deceased.
