William Allen, a 37-year-old Black / African American man, was fatally shot in the early morning hours of Sunday, August 27, 2017, in Springfield, Massachusetts. The incident occurred near the Reed Village housing complex. Allen, an employee of UPS and a graduate of Central High School, was known affectionately by friends and family as "Will" or "Grill Will" for his love of grilling and feeding anyone who came to his home.
On the day of the incident, Allen was found shot around 3:00 a.m.
His family was awakened by a neighbor who informed them that a body had been found in Reed Village and that it was believed to be William. The death was one of two fatal shootings that Springfield Police were investigating that weekend.
As of late 2019, more than two years after William Allen's death, no arrests had been made in connection with his murder. His family has publicly pleaded for anyone with information to come forward to the police, expressing their deep sense of loss and their desire for justice and closure. They described him as a family man who loved life and dreamed of one day owning his own restaurant. The case remains an unsolved homicide, with authorities citing a need for more cooperation from the community to bring his killer or killers to justice.
