Curtis Small

Curtis Smith, a 29-year-old Black man from Buffalo, New York, was celebrating his birthday on July 22, 2015, when the night that was supposed to be about family and laughter turned into chaos. The gathering had the easy rhythm of a summer block-party feel—people talking over music, kids nearby, grills working hard—until the mood snapped without warning.

As the party carried on along Box Street, two cars pulled up and gunfire erupted. The shooting was sudden and relentless, and Smith ...