Arell K. Agapito, a 26-year-old man from Albany, New York, was killed in a shooting in the city’s Pine Hills neighborhood in the fall of 2026. His life was cut short on a Saturday evening, leaving a void in the lives of those who knew him. While his loved ones have kept their memories of him private, the circumstances of his death became the subject of a major police investigation that resulted in two arrests.
The incident began around 9 p.m. on Saturday, September 26, 2026.
Officers from the Albany Police Department were dispatched to a residence at 45 Elberon Place, near the intersection with Quail Street, after receiving reports of gunfire. When they arrived, they searched the apartment where the shots were reportedly fired but did not find any victims inside. However, they confirmed that a shooting had occurred at the residence. The officers then expanded their search to the surrounding area. A short time later, they discovered Arell Agapito in a nearby alleyway off Elberon Place. He had sustained fatal gunshot wounds and was pronounced dead at the scene.
The Albany Police Department's Detective Division launched an intensive investigation into the homicide. In the days following the shooting, the department appealed to the public for information, asking anyone with knowledge of the incident to come forward. Their efforts led to a breakthrough just over a week later. On the morning of Monday, October 5, police arrested 23-year-old Khaliq M. Ibrahim in the area of South Allen and Cliff streets in connection with the killing.
At a press conference later that day, then-Police Chief Brendan Cox and Mayor Dorcey Applyrs addressed the recent gun violence in the city. They announced that Ibrahim had been charged with second-degree murder and second-degree criminal possession of a weapon. He was subsequently arraigned and remanded to the Albany County Jail without bail. City officials spoke about the need to curb violence, with the mayor stating, “I personally refuse to normalize this behavior, to normalize this vicious cycle. It is not okay and it should never be normalized.”
The investigation continued, and prosecutors from the Albany County District Attorney's office determined that a second individual was involved. On Thursday, October 15, 2026, a grand jury indictment was unsealed, charging a second man, 24-year-old Jonathan Rampersad, in connection with Arell’s death. The indictment alleged that the two men acted together and that Ibrahim shot and killed Arell inside Rampersad's apartment on Elberon Place.
Both Ibrahim and Rampersad were arraigned in Albany County Court on October 15. Ibrahim was formally charged with second-degree murder and second-degree criminal possession of a weapon. Rampersad was charged with second-degree murder, two counts of second-degree criminal possession of a weapon, and tampering with physical evidence. The indictment also alleged that Rampersad possessed a large capacity ammunition-feeding device. Both men pleaded not guilty to all charges and were held in custody at the Albany County Correctional Facility.
As of the latest reports in October 2026, the case against both defendants is proceeding through the court system. Anyone with information regarding the shooting was asked to contact the Albany Police Detective Division at 518-462-8039 or to submit anonymous tips to Capital Region Crime Stoppers.
