Freshman was suspended when murdered

BUFFALO, N.Y. (WIVB) - It's a murder that has shocked the Lafayette High School community. Why was freshman Jawaan Daniels gunned down Friday at a west side bus stop?

Those who know Jawaan Daniels have said he was simply at the wrong place at the wrong time, and we've confirmed the 15-year-old Lafayette High freshman was at a bus stop at one o'clock in the afternoon because he had been suspended from school.

Daniels was shot at the bus shelter here at Grant and West Delavan, then managed to struggle across the street before collapsing. Police say Daniels' killer was spotted fleeing the scene on a bike.

The 15-year-old Lafayette High freshman had been suspended earlier in the day, but officials won't give the reason for the suspension and have not ruled out the possibility the shooting and the disciplinary action could be linked.

Acting Police Commissioner Daniel Derenda said, "We have gotten some good information on that case. Again, the public, anybody has more information, please come forward. We're hoping that's one of the cases that will be resolved in the near future."

June has been a deadly month for Buffalo with five homicides in nine days, and all the victims were killed by guns including Daniels. The city's latest victim was gunned down Sunday morning outside a nightclub on Clinton Street.

Pastor James Giles, CEO of Back to Basics Outreach Ministries, said, "See, we got innocent people that are getting shot. We got young men dying before their age. We got young men that feel like they're not going to live to be 19, they're not going to live to be 20."

Pastor Giles helps officiate the Stop the Violence Coalition with Arlee Daniels, who believes the sky would be limit for many young people who have fallen into this culture of gangs, drugs, and gun violence.

"People are opting to settle disputes with guns, and these are some people whom we believe have the potential to be world-class boxers," said Daniels.

So, they are trying to convince young people guns are not the way to resolve conflicts.

Pastor Giles added, "I don't care how bad or how vicious they are, or what the situation is, they'll give us permission to speak into their lives, and that is all we are asking for."

In a news conference, Mayor Byron Brown and Acting Commissioner Derenda told News 4 they are going to be announcing new crime fighting initiatives to quell this deadly spike in homicides.