Aydin Bradric Davis, a 16-year-old Black male, tragically lost his life on the night of Saturday, May 4, 2024. He was in an apartment building on Hendricxsen Avenue in Hartford, Connecticut, attending a small gathering of about 10 to 12 people when gunfire erupted. Hartford police responded to reports of shots fired around 10:30 p.m. and discovered Aydin and another young man, 19-year-old Lavante Brown, unresponsive in a stairwell.
Both victims were suffering from gunshot wounds and were rushed to a nearby hospital, where they were pronounced dead. Aydin was a student at the University High School of Science and Engineering in Hartford.
The investigation into the double homicide led the Hartford Police Major Crimes and Crime Scene Divisions to identify a suspect. On May 29, 2024, 25-year-old James Chaney of Plainville was arrested by the U.S. Marshals Violent Fugitive Task Force and the Hartford Police Violent Crime Unit. Chaney was charged with one count of murder and first-degree reckless endangerment in connection with the shooting. He was held on a $1 million bond.
According to a police affidavit made public after the arrest, the incident began when Lavante Brown allegedly attempted to rob other individuals at the gathering. Witnesses reported that Chaney, who held a valid pistol permit and had a legally registered 9mm handgun, drew his weapon and fired at Brown. As Brown and others, including Aydin Davis, fled down a staircase, Chaney allegedly pursued them and continued to fire. The affidavit states that Aydin was struck three times, twice in the back and once in the back of the neck. Investigators noted that at no point during the investigation was Aydin identified as being in possession of a firearm.
