In the winter chill of December 30, 2016, the life of 20-year-old Jaquan Graves, a Black male from New Haven, Connecticut, was tragically cut short. The events unfolded in the parking lot of the Oakdale Theatre in Wallingford, following a concert by the rapper Meek Mill. As concertgoers were leaving at approximately 11:15 p.m., an argument erupted between two groups of men, escalating into a violent exchange of gunfire.
When police arrived at the scene, they discovered a chaotic and grim picture. Graves and another man, 31-year-old Travis Ward, also of New Haven, were found with gunshot wounds and were later pronounced dead. Two other individuals were also wounded in the shooting but survived their injuries.
The investigation into the double homicide was a complex undertaking. Initially, witnesses were uncooperative with the police. However, investigators eventually pieced together the moments leading up to the fatal shooting. It was determined that an argument began after a BMW nearly struck the Mazda that Graves and his companions had arrived in. According to some accounts, Graves was described as being "highly aggressive" during the confrontation and allegedly threatened the occupants of the other vehicle. One witness suggested the conflict may have been rooted in a rivalry between gangs.
After a lengthy investigation, Wallingford police made arrests in July 2018. Two men were taken into custody in connection with the deaths of Graves and Ward. Kyle Hampton, then 23, of North Haven, and Tivon Edwards, then 33, of New Haven, were both charged with two counts of first-degree manslaughter with a firearm. Hampton faced additional charges of tampering with physical evidence and carrying a pistol without a permit, while Edwards was also charged with criminal possession of a firearm. Hampton later claimed that he acted in self-defense, alleging that Graves had a gun and was advancing toward his vehicle, prompting him to open fire. The arrests brought a sense of relief to Graves's family, with his mother, Tomeka Graves, expressing that her son could finally rest in peace.
