On a tragic day in New Haven, Connecticut, a 27-year-old Black / African American man named Norman "JR" D. Boone Jr. lost his life. On May 27, 2017, Boone was gunned down in broad daylight on Dickerman Street, between Sperry and Orchard streets. The shooting also wounded another individual. In the wake of the violence, dozens of people gathered to mourn the man they had lost. Boone was a father to two children, a daughter named Nyjae Boone and a son named Candyn Johnson.
He was born in New Haven on October 29, 1989, to Jessie Garrett and Norman Boone Sr. and was a brother to five siblings.
For five years, the case of Boone's death remained unsolved, a source of prolonged suffering for his family. However, investigators had a primary suspect, Treyvon Battle, within a week of the shooting but lacked the evidence to secure an arrest warrant. Described by police as a known gang member with a lengthy rap sheet involving illegal guns, Battle was arrested three times on gun charges in the years following Boone's death. On the third arrest, law enforcement worked with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives to hold him on federal charges.
A significant breakthrough in the case came nearly five years to the day of Boone's death. A courageous member of the community came forward with much-needed information, allowing a newly promoted detective to finally connect the pieces of the investigation. In late May 2022, a judge signed an arrest warrant for Treyvon Battle. At the time, Battle was already in federal custody on other weapons-related charges. The announcement of the impending arrest brought a sense of relief to Boone's family, including his mother and daughter, who were present at a police press conference. His aunt spoke on behalf of the family, expressing gratitude to the police department and acknowledging the two children who would grow up without their father. Battle was formally charged with murder when he was presented in court.
