Brent Stevenson

A brazen act of road rage during the evening commute on a busy Boston street tragically ended the life of Brent Stevenson, a 37-year-old African-American man, on November 6, 2017. The violent encounter, which unfolded in the city’s Back Bay neighborhood, led to a multi-year, multi-state manhunt for the man authorities say was responsible, a search that finally concluded with an arrest nearly nine years later.

The incident began around 6:38 p.m. near the intersection of Massachusetts Avenue and Boylston Street, in the area of Boston's renowned Symphony Hall. According to then-Police Commissioner William Evans, Stevenson and another driver became locked in a hostile confrontation, ramming each other's cars on the crowded thoroughfare. The aggression quickly escalated to gunfire when the other driver opened fire, striking Stevenson multiple times. The chase and shooting continued down Massachusetts Avenue, with reports indicating it may have started near Newbury Street.

After being shot, Stevenson’s white Chevy Malibu continued for several blocks before crashing into a parked car at 333 Massachusetts Avenue, just past Huntington Avenue. Officers from District D-4 (South End), responding to reports of shots fired, discovered Stevenson inside the wrecked vehicle. He was suffering from life-threatening gunshot wounds and was rushed by emergency responders to a local hospital, where he was pronounced dead. In the immediate aftermath, authorities stated that Stevenson was "well-known" to police and that they believed the shooting was gang-related.

The Boston Police Department's investigation quickly led them to identify a suspect: Alan Lewis, of Brockton. A warrant was issued for his arrest on a charge of murder. Authorities described Lewis as a Black male, 6 feet 1 inch tall, with a stocky build, brown eyes, and black hair. He was also noted for having distinctive tattoos on both of his forearms that read "KILLER" and "BEES". Despite being identified, Lewis managed to evade capture and remained a fugitive from justice for years.

For almost seven years, the case saw few public developments as Lewis remained at large. In June 2024, law enforcement renewed their public push to find him. The U.S. Marshals Service announced a $5,000 reward for any information that would lead directly to his arrest, widely circulating his photo and physical description. This effort was part of a broader fugitive apprehension initiative called "Operation 250th," a partnership between federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies. The manhunt for Lewis spanned multiple jurisdictions and involved an extensive, multi-agency investigation.

The long search finally came to an end on July 1, 2026. Following a multi-year investigation, authorities tracked Lewis to Charlotte, North Carolina. Members of the Boston Police Fugitive Unit, U.S. Marshals, and Massachusetts State Police located and arrested the then 40-year-old Lewis in Charlotte. The arrest marked a significant breakthrough in the case that had remained open for nearly a decade.

As of July 2026, Alan Lewis was in custody in North Carolina awaiting extradition back to Boston to face the murder charge for Brent Stevenson's death. He is expected to be arraigned in Suffolk Superior Court upon his return to Massachusetts. The arrest brings the case into the next phase of the criminal justice process, promising a long-awaited day in court.