6 alleged gang members indicted, accused of killing 14-year-old with bullets meant for his older brother
The group allegedly opened fire along Webster Avenue, just after 9 p.m. on Nov. 30, 2022, fatally striking 14-year-old Prince Shabazz.
Six alleged members of the “Slattery” gang were indicted in connection with the killing of a 14-year-old boy, Bronx District Attorney Darcel D. Clark says. The bullets that killed the boy were meant to strike his older brother, according to investigators.
The group allegedly opened fire just after 9 p.m. on Nov. 30, 2022, along Webster Avenue. The nine rounds from two semi-automatic guns were aimed toward Supreme Shabazz, who was 16-years-old at the time and walking with his younger brother, 14-year-old Prince Shabazz.
Prince was struck in the chest and rushed to St. Barnabas Hospital, where he died. The elder Shabazz brother was not hurt.
Prosecutors say the group took off in a vehicle that was stolen five days prior and recorded a cellphone video of themselves bragging about the shooting, calling one of the alleged gunmen, Diondre Martin, 22, a “top shooter.” Martin remains on the run.
A second alleged killer, Yaselis Feliz, 20, sent a screenshot of the Citizen app notification about the shooting to a third defendant, Christian Cruz, 22, saying they shot the wrong person.
Investigators discovered that the shooting happened on Calvin Aaron’s birthday, who was killed in rival gang territory in Manhattan in July 2022.
"These defendants, who were teens at the time of the incident, allegedly fired nine shots at a 16-year-old boy purportedly because he disrespected a boy killed a few months earlier, in social media postings,” said DA Clark. “Instead, the target's younger brother was killed in this vicious cycle of gun violence. His tragic death was also mocked on social media. We must change the mindset of youth to value every human life."
Feliz, Martin, Cruz, Juan Gomez, 23, David Marte, 20 and Ethan Lopez, 19, each face a slew of charges including murder, manslaughter, attempted murder, attempted assault, robbery, conspiracy and criminal possession of a weapon.
Feliz and Cruz were arraigned on March 27. Feliz is due back in court on April 20. Cruz will face a judge again on June 18.
Marte was arraigned on March 26 and is due back on April 1.
Lopez and Gomez are behind bars in connection with other crimes. Their court date has not been set.
