On the evening of September 1, 2019, in Hartford, Connecticut, 17-year-old Usher Hanns, a Black male, was caught in a burst of gunfire on Edgewood Street. The incident, which involved at least 12 gunshots detected by the city's ShotSpotter system, resulted in Hanns being struck in the head. First responders found him and rushed him to St. Francis Hospital. Despite medical efforts, he succumbed to his injuries three days later on September 4, 2019.
Four other individuals sustained non-life-threatening injuries in the same shooting. At the time of his death, Hanns was a student at Weaver High School and was an active participant in an anti-violence program called Hartford's Proud Drill Drum and Dance Corporation. He was remembered by his loved ones as a joyful, loving, and funny young man with an infectious smile.
The investigation into the shooting revealed that at least three individuals in a car had opened fire into a large crowd of people. The Hartford Police Department's investigation led to the identification of several suspects. In July 2020, police announced the arrests of 19-year-old Diondre Johnson and 20-year-old Jaden Davis, charging them with murder. Both had been in custody since October 2019 on unrelated felony charges. The shooting was believed to be part of a series of retaliatory acts between groups of teenagers.
In September 2020, a third suspect was arrested. This individual was 17 at the time of the shooting and was therefore not initially identified publicly. He faced charges including conspiracy to commit murder and criminal liability for first-degree assault. This third individual was later identified as Anthony Rodriguez. In June 2023, Diondre Johnson and Anthony Rodriguez were each sentenced to 10 years in prison for their roles in the fatal shooting. They both accepted plea bargains and were convicted of first-degree manslaughter with a firearm. Following their prison sentences, they will be subject to 10 years of strict special parole. The case against the other charged suspect, Jaden Davis, appears to have concluded without a conviction according to state judicial records.
