On a Tuesday evening during rush hour, the life of 21-year-old Davyjian Grier was cut short in a brazen act of violence on Delaware Avenue in Albany. The incident, which began around 5 p.m. on July 9, 2024, started with a dispute that quickly and fatally escalated. As Grier sat behind the wheel of his car, a man on foot approached and began firing a handgun into the vehicle.
In a desperate attempt to escape, Grier drove away, but the assailant continued to shoot as he gave chase.
The terrifying scene unfolded as Grier’s vehicle, carrying his girlfriend and her two children, sped across the busy street. The gunman fired a total of thirteen rounds. Struck by multiple bullets, Grier lost control of his car and crashed into the parking lot of a Stewart's Shop at the corner of Southern Boulevard. He was pronounced dead at the scene. Miraculously, the three passengers in the car were unharmed. The shooter was captured on surveillance video fleeing the area on foot.
An investigation was immediately launched by the Albany Police Department. Using surveillance footage from the area, authorities identified the shooter as Jahmell Manso. A manhunt ensued, and with the assistance of the U.S. Marshals Service, Manso was located several months later in Virginia. He was arrested on December 11, 2024, under a sealed indictment warrant and extradited back to Albany to face justice.
In May 2025, Jahmell Manso pleaded guilty to second-degree murder. The following September, the 27-year-old was sentenced for the killing of Davyjian Grier. A judge sentenced him to a term of 20 years to life in prison, bringing a close to the case that had shocked the community with its public and reckless nature.
