In the late hours of April 22, 2017, the life of Christopher Ryan Cushenberry, a 25-year-old Black/African American man, was tragically cut short in Montgomery, Alabama. Originally from Harvey, Louisiana, he had made a new home in Montgomery, where he was a devoted father to his young son and an engaged fiancé.
The fatal incident occurred around 11 p.m. that Saturday night. Gunfire erupted, and when the chaos subsided, Cushenberry had been fatally wounded and died at the scene.
Another young man, 19-year-old Larenzo Esther, was also critically injured in the shooting. He was transported to a local hospital for treatment but ultimately succumbed to his injuries three days later, on April 25, 2017.
The Montgomery Police Department immediately launched a homicide investigation into the double shooting. As detectives pieced together the events of that night, their investigation led them to the conclusion that the two deceased men had been involved in an exchange of gunfire with each other. This determination meant that the suspect in Christopher Cushenberry's death was Larenzo Esther, who also died as a result of the altercation. Similarly, Cushenberry was identified as the suspect in Esther's death.
Due to the fact that both individuals involved in the shootout were deceased, the investigation into their deaths was concluded. No arrests were made in the case as the sole suspect in each man's death was also a victim. The community was left to mourn the loss of two young lives, with the family and friends of Christopher Cushenberry remembering him as a loving father, fiancé, and son.
