In the spring of 2017, the life of Bernard Andrew Kye, a 22-year-old Black man, was tragically cut short on the streets of Kalamazoo, Michigan. On the evening of April 10th, gunshots rang out in the 900 block of North Church Street, leaving Kye fatally wounded. A 40-year-old woman also suffered a gunshot wound to her leg during the incident but survived.
The Kalamazoo Department of Public Safety quickly launched an investigation into the shooting, which was believed to have stemmed from an escalating altercation.
The investigation led to the arrest of 20-year-old Deonte Burdine in connection with the homicide. Burdine was subsequently arraigned in Kalamazoo County District Court on a seven-count warrant that included serious charges of open murder and assault with intent to murder. He also faced charges of being a felon in possession of a firearm and four counts of felony firearm. During his arraignment, the court denied bond for Burdine, and not guilty pleas were entered on his behalf for all seven charges. The case was then set for further court proceedings.
