On the afternoon of Tuesday, November 14, 2023, the life of Shaquille Chazz Pearson, a 29-year-old Black / African American man, was cut short by gunfire in his hometown of New Haven, Connecticut. At approximately 4:50 p.m., Mr. Pearson was walking at the intersection of East Pearl Street and Grand Avenue in the Fair Haven neighborhood when a vehicle pulled up beside him.
A passenger inside the car opened fire, striking him multiple times.
Police received reports of a gunshot victim and arrived to find Mr. Pearson wounded in the street. An officer rendered aid until firefighters and medics arrived. Mr. Pearson was rushed to Yale New Haven Hospital, where he died from his injuries a short time later. Detectives with the Major Crimes Unit and Bureau of Identification responded to the scene, where they recovered ballistic evidence. The city’s ShotSpotter system had not been activated by the gunfire.
Investigators learned that the shooter had fired from a stolen black Volkswagen Tiguan that was traveling down East Pearl Street. Police canvassed the area for the vehicle, which was later found abandoned and unoccupied in the nearby town of North Haven. The car was towed to be processed for evidence as the investigation into the homicide continued.
Following their investigation, police arrested 19-year-old Joseph Dominick of New Haven. He was charged with murder, carrying a pistol without a permit, and possession of a large capacity magazine, and was subsequently held on a $2 million bond. The case against Dominick proceeded through the court system, resulting in his conviction for the murder of Shaquille Pearson. In September 2026, Dominick was sentenced to 30 years in prison.
