In the late afternoon of Saturday, May 17, 2025, a burst of gunfire shattered the daily rhythm of an East Harlem neighborhood. When the noise subsided, 17-year-old Chance Leggett was found critically wounded, having been shot in the head. The incident occurred at approximately 4:48 p.m. in front of a building on East 115th Street, near the corner of Lexington Avenue, not far from his own home on 105th Street.
Emergency medical services were dispatched to the scene and rushed the young
man to NYC Health + Hospitals/Harlem. For days, he remained in critical condition as medical staff fought to save his life. Despite their efforts, Chance Leggett succumbed to his severe injuries on Wednesday, May 29, 2025, and was pronounced dead.
The investigation into the shooting led to a swift arrest by the New York City Police Department. A day after the shooting, authorities took 19-year-old Jermaine Vanderhorst from the Bronx into custody. Vanderhorst was subsequently charged with attempted murder and criminal possession of a weapon. The investigation into the killing is noted as ongoing.
