In the winter of 2021, the life of 17-year-old Nalijah Nana Andrade of New Bedford, Massachusetts, was tragically cut short. On the night of February 4th, Nalijah, a female, was with a group of individuals, including other juvenile females, in adjoining hotel rooms at the Regency Boston. The atmosphere was one of youthful socializing, with the group partying, drinking, and taking selfies.
The night took a devastating turn due to the presence of a 9mm semi-automatic pistol.
Evidence gathered by Boston Police homicide detectives indicated that members of the group had been posing with the firearm, which was allegedly in the possession of a man named Kenny Jnleys. At approximately 11:30 p.m., another man, 21-year-old Messiah Leggett of Mattapan, was reportedly handling the gun in a playful manner. In a fateful moment, Nalijah swatted at his hand, causing him to accidentally discharge a single round. The bullet struck her in the head, inflicting a fatal wound.
Following an extensive investigation into the shooting, authorities brought charges against two individuals. Messiah Leggett was charged with involuntary manslaughter and unlawful possession of a firearm. In September 2021, he was arraigned in Suffolk Superior Court. A judge set his bail at $25,000 and ordered him to be under home confinement with GPS monitoring. Kenny Jnleys faced firearm-related charges in connection with the fatal incident.
