On a Monday afternoon in New Haven, Connecticut, the life of a 26-year-old Black man, Michael Judkins, was tragically cut short. On August 29, 2022, gunshots rang out on Thompson Street in the city's Newhallville neighborhood. When police arrived at the scene just after 1 p.m., they discovered two victims. Judkins had been shot multiple times, while a 20-year-old man with him suffered a non-life-threatening wound to the leg.
Both men were rushed to Yale New Haven Hospital, but Judkins succumbed to his injuries. The initial investigation suggested the two men were inside or next to an Audi when the shooting occurred.
Michael Judkins, known to friends as "Mango" and "Young Klean," was a well-known and beloved figure in his community. A graduate of Wilbur Cross High School, where he was a standout basketball player, he was remembered by the police chief as an avid player who often won championships in local tournaments. Beyond the basketball court, he was a father to a daughter, Kaylee, and was pursuing a career in music as a rapper. He was also involved in fashion, co-creating a clothing line called "STRANDED." His death was the city's eighth homicide of 2022.
Investigators quickly determined that the shooting was not a random act of violence. Police described the incident as a targeted and "group-related" attack. Law enforcement sources indicated the conflict may have stemmed from a dispute over jewelry, possibly a gold chain. While ballistic evidence was collected at the scene, no suspects in the murder of Michael Judkins have been publicly identified or arrested.
The police department expressed significant concern about the potential for retaliatory violence, given how well-regarded Judkins was in the community. In an effort to quell any further bloodshed, authorities made a plea to the public to let the justice system run its course. The morning after Judkins' death, New Haven police and the DEA arrested an individual and seized a firearm in a neighboring town. While this person was not considered a suspect in the murder, police believed the arrest was connected to individuals who may have been planning retaliation for Judkins' killing.
