In the early hours of a summer morning in East Orange, New Jersey, the promise of a new day was shattered by an eruption of violence that claimed the lives of two young men. On June 9, 2017, Keeayre Griffin, a 29-year-old male, was fatally shot in a brazen act that also took the life of 19-year-old Dyshawn L. Simpkins. The incident, which unfolded on the 100 block of Hollywood Street, left a third individual wounded and a community in shock.
Responding to reports of gunfire shortly after
midnight, East Orange police officers arrived at a grim scene. Inside a vehicle, they discovered an unresponsive male, later identified as Simpkins, who was pronounced dead at the scene. Griffin, gravely wounded, was rushed to East Orange General Hospital, but his life could not be saved, and he was pronounced dead at 1:27 a.m. The third victim, whose identity was withheld by authorities, was also transported to a local hospital with non-fatal injuries.
The investigation into the double homicide was immediately launched by the Essex County Prosecutor's Major Crimes Task Force in conjunction with the East Orange Police Department. In the initial days following the shooting, law enforcement officials announced that the investigation was active and ongoing. However, in the years that have passed since the violent deaths of Keeayre Griffin and Dyshawn L. Simpkins, there has been no public announcement of any arrests made or suspects identified in connection with the case.
The senseless act of violence cut short the lives of two individuals with promising futures. Griffin was a former student-athlete at Temple University, and Simpkins' family described him as a loving and well-respected young man. The lack of resolution in their case leaves a painful void for their families and a community still searching for answers and justice. The investigation into their untimely deaths remains open.
