Shumar Beason

In the brisk autumn of 2011, the life of 14-year-old Shumar Beason, a Black male, was tragically cut short on the east side of Buffalo, New York. On the evening of Sunday, November 13th, while walking down Eller Avenue, Beason was fatally wounded by gunfire. The sudden violence of his death sent ripples of shock and grief through his family and the wider community.

In the immediate aftermath, law enforcement officials began an intensive investigation into the shooting. Detectives treated ...