In the summer of 2009, a burst of violence on the streets of Buffalo would claim the life of a young man, leaving a family to grieve a sudden and senseless loss. Eric L. Morrow, a 21-year-old male, was standing near a porch at the intersection of Auburn and West avenues on the evening of August 11, 2009, when gunfire erupted. Struck in the chest and leg, Morrow tragically became the city's 36th homicide victim of that year.
His death was not a random act but a calculated move in a larger, dangerous game.
The investigation into Morrow's death would uncover a grim narrative of gang rivalry. On that fateful August evening, Kasiem Williams, a member of the 7th Street Gang, spotted individuals he believed to be rival 10th Street Gang members. He then alerted his fellow gang members, who opened fire. Eric Morrow was caught in the deadly assault and lost his life as a result.
In the years that followed, law enforcement would work to dismantle the violent criminal enterprise responsible for Morrow's death and other acts of violence that plagued the city. In October 2015, a significant breakthrough came when Kasiem Williams, then 26, pleaded guilty to a Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Conspiracy. His plea agreement detailed his involvement in multiple acts of violence, including his role in the murder of Eric Morrow. Williams admitted to spotting the rival gang members and instigating the shooting that led to Morrow's death. The guilty plea was part of a larger federal investigation that ultimately saw the conviction of numerous individuals involved in the 7th Street Gang's criminal activities.
