In the early morning hours of August 20, 2023, the bustling nightlife of Syracuse's Armory Square district was shattered by the sound of gunfire. On the 400 block of South Clinton Street, 25-year-old Ramal Kearse, a male resident of the city, was found by police officers who were on duty in the area. He had sustained multiple gunshot wounds. Despite the immediate medical attention he received, Kearse was pronounced dead after arriving at Upstate University Hospital.
The investigation
that followed painted a picture of a targeted attack. The Onondaga County District Attorney's Office described the shooting as the result of a dispute that had occurred earlier between Kearse and another individual. This confrontation is believed to be rooted in ongoing rivalries between street gangs. The brazen nature of the killing in a public area drew condemnation from city officials, who vowed to bring those responsible to justice.
Weeks after the fatal shooting, the investigation led to arrests. On September 13, 2023, 28-year-old Roy Watson of Syracuse turned himself in to the authorities. He was subsequently charged with second-degree murder and second-degree criminal possession of a weapon in connection with Kearse's death. Later that month, on September 27, a second suspect was taken into custody. Rakeese Newton, a 24-year-old from the nearby town of Camillus, was also arrested and faced charges related to the incident. The investigation into the shooting remains ongoing as the case moves through the legal system.
