In the early hours of May 24, 2024, a dispute outside an apartment building in the University Heights neighborhood of the Bronx escalated into a fatal shooting, claiming the life of 36-year-old Justin 'Blaze' Lawless. Lawless, a Black male, was a resident of the building at 2290 Davidson Avenue where the tragic events unfolded. The incident also resulted in the death of 44-year-old Claretha Daniels and left a 40-year-old man wounded.
The conflict reportedly began after Daniels felt
disrespected by a comment from a member of a group of individuals who were allegedly squatting in vacant apartments within the building. This led to a heated confrontation between the building's longtime residents and the squatters. The situation intensified when the squatters armed themselves with bats and knives.
During the altercation, one of the squatters, identified as Josue Silva, allegedly produced a firearm and opened fire. Lawless was struck in the chest and was later pronounced deceased at St. Barnabas Hospital. Daniels also suffered a fatal gunshot wound to the chest, while the third victim was shot in the arm and survived.
Following the shooting, Silva, a Venezuelan migrant, fled the scene and remains at large. Authorities have indicated that Silva was previously linked to another non-fatal shooting at the same location earlier in the year. He reportedly has a history of prior arrests. As of late 2025, no arrests had been made in connection with the deaths of Justin Lawless and Claretha Daniels, and the New York Police Department's investigation is ongoing. Lawless was a father of three.
