Investigators say the gunfire that killed one 17-year-old girl and wounded another may have followed an earlier personal dispute.
HARTFORD, Conn. — Police are searching for the person who opened fire on a group of teenagers in Hartford, killing 17-year-old Ty-Leeyah Jamison and wounding another 17-year-old girl in a shooting investigators believe was targeted.
The shooting happened shortly before 7 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 21, on East Raymond Street. Police said a gunshot-detection system alerted authorities to 11 shots. Officers arriving in the area found the two teenagers wounded near the front porch of a home. Both were taken to a hospital, where Jamison was pronounced dead. The second girl was later reported in stable condition.
Investigators believe several young people had gathered near the home when a person approached or passed the group and opened fire. Hartford police have said preliminary information indicates the shooting may have been connected to an altercation or personal dispute that began in the preceding days. Authorities have not publicly identified a suspect or announced an arrest.
Lt. Aaron Boisvert said during the initial investigation that police were examining whether an earlier confrontation played a role in the shooting, while stressing that the information was preliminary. Detectives were working to identify and interview people who witnessed the gunfire and to gather evidence from the scene.
Jamison was identified by police as a Hartford resident. Her mother, Stephannie Pagan, said her daughter was a senior and cheerleader at Weaver High School. Pagan disputed any suggestion that Jamison had taken part in the earlier conflict police were investigating, saying her daughter had been visiting friends when the shooting occurred.
The distinction remains important as detectives work to determine who was targeted and why. Police have not publicly established that Jamison was involved in the dispute they believe may have preceded the attack, and they have not released a detailed account identifying the intended target. The circumstances remain part of an active homicide investigation.
Hartford Mayor Arunan Arulampalam said authorities believed the violence stemmed from a personal dispute that began days before the shooting. He also expressed concern about preventing further violence as investigators continued working to determine what happened and who was responsible.
The shooting drew police Major Crimes and Crime Scene investigators to East Raymond Street. Authorities said witnesses were believed to have been present, making their accounts an important part of the investigation. Police have asked people with information to contact the Hartford Police Department as detectives continue searching for the shooter.
No arrest had been publicly announced in the case in the latest reports reviewed. Police were continuing to investigate the earlier dispute, collect evidence and seek witnesses while the surviving teenager recovered from her injuries.
Author note: Last updated October 25, 2026.