Fred Sherome-Shandell Gentry, a 48-year-old Black man described as having a vibrant personality and an entrepreneurial spirit, was shot on the night of May 19, 2020, in Schenectady, New York. Around 11:10 p.m., multiple gunshots were reported near Victory Avenue. Police found Gentry at Victory Avenue and Catherine Street with a gunshot wound to the neck and later learned he had been shot multiple times; he was taken to Ellis Hospital and died of his injuries. A 28-year-old woman also suffered a gunshot wound to her leg and was transported to a hospital in stable condition. A stray bullet from the barrage penetrated a nearby home but did not strike the resident inside.

The Schenectady Police Department opened a homicide investigation, processed the scene and interviewed witnesses. Police identified potential persons of interest but made no immediate arrests, and no suspects have been publicly named or charged. The shooting revived community concerns about gun violence and left Gentry’s family and friends seeking answers.

Did anyone in the area that night see or hear anything that could help the investigation?