On the evening of October 14, 2023, a dispute at the intersection of Cedar and Cassius streets in New Haven, Connecticut, turned deadly. Tyrese Alexander Blue Jr., a 26-year-old Black male, was shot in the chest following what police described as an argument. The incident occurred at approximately 8:35 p.m.
First responders arrived to find Blue unresponsive and immediately began performing CPR. Despite their efforts to render aid, he was pronounced dead at the scene.
Investigators from the Major Crimes Unit and the Bureau of Identification cordoned off the area to collect evidence, speak with witnesses, and search for any available surveillance footage. Ballistic evidence was recovered at the location, although the city's ShotSpotter gunshot detection system was not activated during the incident.
For months, the case remained under investigation. Then, on April 26, 2024, New Haven police announced an arrest in connection with the fatal shooting. Lewis Santiago, a 26-year-old from New Haven, was taken into custody on a warrant. The arrest brought a sense of progress for the family of Tyrese Blue Jr., who had been waiting for justice. At a press conference announcing the arrest, Blue's mother, Sharon Blue, expressed her grief and her desire for accountability, stating that while justice needs to be served, her own sense of justice is in heaven. She was accompanied by family members, including Tyrese's infant daughter.
