Murderer of Detroit man killed on New Year's Eve one year ago still on the run

DETROIT (WJBK) - Almost one year to the day since a 21-year-old man is gunned down in his own car, the shooter remains a mystery. With the anniversary of his death approaching, his family hopes you have tips to help solve his murder.

Jalen Brown was murdered on New Year's Eve in 2015. His father is still searching for the answers about who pulled the trigger.

Jalen had been waiting in his car outside a home to pick up his mother and young brothers on Detroit's West Side. Witnesses said someone drove up to him and passengers from that car exchanged words with Brown. Then one of the passengers opened fire.

That was at 11:30 on New Year's Eve. By 3:00 a.m. on January 1, he was dead.

One of Jalen's younger brothers was about to get into the car before the shooting, but Jalen drove away from the scene. He crashed a few feet away into a home at the corner of Ward an Pilgrim.

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One year later, the memorial to the young man remains in place.

"The fact he did jump the curb and did drive away, letting them get back into the house is just showing how much of a protector he was," his sister, Janai, said.

It's been a difficult year for the family, and in order for them to have any closure, Cliff Brown says the person who murdered his son must be brought to justice.

"Somebody knows something. it's always somebody that knows something. i really don't want the person or persons to think that they got away with something," Cliff said.

Detroit Police say this case remains an active investigation and anyone with information on the gunman is urged to give crime stoppers at 1-800-Speak-Up.