On the evening of June 22, 2020, in Bridgeport, Connecticut, the life of 18-year-old Eugene Stinson, a Black / African American male, was tragically cut short. At approximately 6:12 p.m., the sound of gunshots pierced the air near the intersection of Fairfield Avenue and Albion Street, triggering a ShotSpotter notification. When police arrived at the scene, they discovered Stinson slumped over in the driver's seat of his vehicle, which had been involved in a crash.
He had sustained a gunshot wound to the head. Emergency services transported him to St. Vincent's Medical Center, where he was pronounced dead. Friends and family remembered the young man, affectionately known as "Stink," as a good kid who was focused on his life. They shared his passion for basketball and music and lamented that he would never have the chance to experience a full life. His death marked the city's seventh homicide of the year.
In the days that followed, a makeshift memorial was created at the site of the shooting as a place for loved ones to grieve and remember him. The pain of his loss was especially sharp for his family, as his death occurred just before he would have celebrated his 19th birthday. The community's mourning was violently interrupted on June 28, 2020. As people gathered at the memorial located in the P.T. Barnum housing project, a dark-colored Chrysler sedan drove by, and its driver opened fire on the mourners. Miraculously, no one was injured in the drive-by shooting.
The investigation into the shooting at the memorial led police to locate the vehicle in Derby, Connecticut. The driver was identified as 19-year-old Treyvon Rabb, who was subsequently arrested. Rabb faced multiple charges, including attempted first-degree assault, illegally firing a firearm, and reckless endangerment. At the time of this incident, he was already out on bond for other serious charges. While an arrest was made in connection with the shooting at the memorial, the investigation into Eugene Stinson's murder remains ongoing. As of the latest available information, no suspects have been identified or arrested directly for his homicide, leaving his family and community still searching for answers and justice.
