Damien Brave, an 18-year-old male, was shot late on the night of March 31, 2023, during a crowded house party near North 27th and Fair Streets in Lincoln, Nebraska. Police were called just before midnight for reports of gunfire; Brave arrived at a Lincoln hospital a short time later, where he died of multiple gunshot wounds. Early accounts from investigators described a chaotic scene with many teen witnesses fleeing the location as officers arrived.
Detectives identified a 17-year-old, McCree, as the shooter within days. According to police and subsequent court filings, the gunfire followed a dispute at the party variously described as involving a bag or backpack after which the suspect fled Nebraska. A joint effort by Lincoln Police and U.S. Marshals led to McCree s arrest in Detroit, Michigan, six days later; he was extradited to Lancaster County and charged with first-degree murder and use of a deadly weapon to commit a felony.
The case proceeded to trial in 2024. Prosecutors argued that McCree pulled a handgun during a conversation with Brave and fired several times inside the home packed with teenagers. A jury found him guilty of first-degree murder and a weapons count, and in early 2025 a Lancaster County judge sentenced him to a term of 85 years to life; with credit for time served, parole eligibility would come after a little over four decades. Reporting on the sentencing echoed the investigative narrative that the confrontation centered on the bag Brave was holding.
