In the pre-dawn hours of Thanksgiving Day, November 25, 2021, the life of a 45-year-old Black / African American man named Lemuel Hamilton was tragically cut short in New Haven, Connecticut. Around 1:17 a.m., police received 911 calls reporting a person had been shot on Sherman Avenue, between Elm Street and Whalley Avenue. Upon arrival, officers discovered Lemuel Hamilton suffering from gunshot wounds.
Emergency medical services rushed Hamilton to Yale New Haven Hospital with
life-threatening injuries. For several days, he fought for his life, but ultimately succumbed to his injuries in the early morning of November 30, 2021. His death marked the 25th homicide in New Haven that year. Hamilton, known to his friends and family as "Rif," was remembered as a talented self-employed artist.
The New Haven Police Department's Major Crimes Unit and Bureau of Identification immediately launched an investigation into the shooting. Authorities appealed to the public for assistance, urging any witnesses who had not yet spoken with investigators to come forward. At the time of the initial reports, and in the period immediately following, no suspects had been publicly identified or arrested in connection with the shooting. The investigation into the death of Lemuel Hamilton was reported as ongoing, with police actively seeking information from the community to bring those responsible to justice. There have been no subsequent public announcements regarding arrests or the identification of any suspects in the case.
