In the early hours of a summer Saturday, the life of a young Black / African American man, Daryl Wayne Belton, was tragically cut short. At 22 years old, Belton, a male resident of New Haven, Connecticut, was found lying in the street on Kensington Street, near the intersection with Chapel Street. It was July 23, 2016, a date that would forever be marked by violence and loss for his family and friends.
The New Haven Police Department received an alert from their ShotSpotter system at approximately 1:30 a.m., indicating that a firearm had been discharged in the area.
Upon their arrival, officers discovered Belton suffering from a single gunshot wound to his back. Emergency medical personnel acted quickly, rushing him to Yale-New Haven Hospital in a desperate attempt to save his life. Despite their efforts, the severity of his injury was too great, and he was pronounced deceased by emergency room doctors about an hour after the shooting. The initial investigation into his death was met with immediate challenges, as law enforcement officials reported that there were no witnesses to the shooting and no description of any potential suspects or vehicles involved.
In the days that followed, the community mourned the loss of a young life taken too soon. Family and loved ones gathered to create a makeshift memorial on the sidewalk where he was attacked, a testament to the life he had lived and the people he had touched. The New Haven Police Department appealed to the public for assistance, urging anyone with information, no matter how insignificant it might seem, to come forward. They provided a phone number for the Homicide Detectives, hoping that a crucial tip would help them piece together the events of that fateful night and bring justice for Daryl Wayne Belton. Despite the public plea for information, there have been no subsequent reports of arrests or the identification of any suspects in the years following his death.
