Warren Thompson, a 40-year-old Black man from Pittsburgh, was a devoted father of three who, in the years before his death, was finding his way and building a life with his fiancée, Ashley McBryde. His mother, Roslyn Thompson, recalled sharing long, meaningful talks with her son and watching him grow. The families of Thompson and the man who would later kill him had been close for decades, growing up together in the Hill District and sharing holidays.
In the early morning hours of
February 24, 2024, Thompson and a man named Akil Tennyson were both at the 703 Social Club on Brighton Road in Pittsburgh’s Marshall-Shadeland neighborhood. The two got into an argument and then a fight, reportedly stemming from a dispute a month earlier. Both men were kicked out of the club. Tennyson was ejected first and, according to authorities, waited outside for Thompson.
Just after 2 a.m., as Thompson exited the club, Tennyson ambushed him, shooting him six times—five times in the legs and once in the back. A security guard for the club witnessed the attack and returned fire, striking Tennyson in the chest. When police arrived, they found Thompson and another man with critical gunshot wounds. Thompson was transported to a local hospital, where he was pronounced dead. Tennyson was also hospitalized for his injuries. Two other people who were shot during the incident sought medical attention on their own and were reported to be in stable condition.
After spending several days in the hospital, Akil Raheem Tennyson, then 31, was arrested and charged with criminal homicide, aggravated assault, and other offenses. Investigators used surveillance footage and witness statements, including from the security guard who fired at Tennyson, to piece together the events of that night.
In April 2025, Tennyson, 32, pleaded guilty to third-degree murder and related gun charges. According to the Assistant District Attorney, the plea was offered because Tennyson was intoxicated at the time of the shooting, though his actions were described as an "indefensible" ambush.
At his sentencing hearing, Tennyson, whose own father was fatally shot when he was a child, apologized to Thompson's family. "This is the worst thing I could have done as I understand the pain of not having a father first-hand," he said. "I am so truly sorry." Thompson’s mother described the day her son died as the darkest of her life, saying, "I will never be the same." In July 2025, a judge sentenced Akil Tennyson to serve 12.5 to 25 years in state prison.
