On the evening of December 3, 2024, a 17-year-old male named Daily Jackson Jr. was walking along Shelton Avenue in New Haven, Connecticut, when his life was tragically cut short. A vehicle, later identified as stolen, passed by, and an occupant opened fire, striking the teenager. Jackson was discovered lying in a driveway, suffering from a gunshot wound.
Emergency medical aid was rendered at the scene before he was rushed to Yale New Haven Hospital, where he ultimately succumbed to his injuries. The shooting, which occurred just before 7 p.m., was captured on grainy surveillance video from a nearby home, leading investigators to believe Jackson was specifically targeted. His family described him as a sweet, loving young man with a big heart who played the drums and attended church.
The death of Daily, a junior at Riverside Academy, sent ripples of grief through a community already mourning the loss of another student. Just two weeks prior, Jackson's friend and classmate, 16-year-old Uzziah Shell, had also been killed by gun violence. The back-to-back deaths of two of its students left the Riverside Academy community bearing an insurmountable burden. In the wake of the shooting, an anonymous donor offered a $20,000 reward for information that would lead to the arrest and conviction of the person or persons responsible for Jackson's death. His family, who also lost Daily's father to homicide years earlier, remembered their son, also known as "Buster," as a joy to be around.
Five weeks after the fatal shooting, the New Haven Police Department made an arrest. A 17-year-old suspect, Tremaine Poole, was taken into custody and charged with murder and three related gun possession offenses. His case was transferred to adult court, and he was held on a $5 million bond. According to the arrest warrant, Poole was a passenger in the stolen car, and after spotting Jackson, he allegedly told the driver to pull over. He then reportedly got out of the vehicle, accused Jackson of being in a gang, and fired several shots. While the investigation is ongoing, with police suggesting more arrests could follow, Jackson's family has publicly expressed their forgiveness for the young man accused of the crime, even as they navigate their profound loss.
