On the evening of May 5, 2014, Leslie Vasquez, a 39-year-old Hispanic male, was walking east on Park Street in his Hartford, Connecticut neighborhood. Having recently served time for a narcotics violation, Vasquez was a long-standing member of the Los Solidos street gang, considered an old-timer within the faction that formed in the early 1990s. As he made his way from Affleck Street, another man began to follow him, tracking his movements through the familiar streets.
The pursuit
continued until they approached the area of Park and Lawrence Streets. There, the follower, his face obscured by a bandana, brandished a firearm and opened fire on Vasquez. Struck by several bullets, Vasquez collapsed onto the pavement against the wall of a business at 617 Park Street. He was pronounced dead at the scene from multiple gunshot wounds in what police would later dub the "Cinco De Mayo Murder."
In the aftermath, a street side memorial appeared on Park Street, assembled by fellow gang members. It featured photographs of Vasquez, gang artifacts, graffiti, and dozens of candles, becoming a gathering place for those who knew him for several days. Despite the public nature of the shooting and the presence of witnesses in the area, as indicated by street surveillance, no arrests have been made in the case. Law enforcement believes Vasquez likely knew his attacker, even with the disguise. The Hartford Police Department continues to aggressively investigate the homicide and has appealed to the public for any information that could lead to the identification and apprehension of the person responsible for Leslie Vasquez's death.
