Two teenagers got arrested this week for separate shootings that killed one person and left another in critical condition, according to police – the latest in a string of violent shooting incidents allegedly perpetuated by teens. A 15-year-old boy was arrested on Monday for the fatal shooting of 30-year-old Darren Davis in the Bronx earlier this month. Darren was gunned down at around 8:30 p.m. outside a bodega on Willis Avenue and East 137th Street in Mott Haven, and a 42-year-old woman was also shot in the leg, according to the NYPD. The 15-year-old was charged with murder in the second degree, but his name was not released because he is a minor. The boy’s lawyer info wasn’t available right away.
A 19-year-old named Jermaine Vanderhorst was also arrested this week in connection to a shooting in East Harlem on Saturday that left a 17-year-old in critical condition. The incident took place at around 5:45 p.m. on East 115th Street in Lexington Avenue, where Vanderhorst opened fire at the teen as he rode on a citibike, hitting him in the head. Vanderhorst was arrested the following day in Lower Manhattan and was charged with attempted murder and criminal weapons possession. His attorney didn’t respond immediately to a request for comment on his arraignment. In addition, a 13-year-old boy and a 14-year-old boy were arrested within the last week in connection to the fatal shooting of 16-year-old Evette Jeffrey in the Bronx. Jeffrey was passing by a group of teens who had gotten into a fistfight near Bronx Latin school around 5 p.m. on May 12 when the shots rang out, striking her in the head and killing her at the scene. The 13-year-old had given a gun to the 14-year-old, who is accused of firing at a rival but hitting Jeffrey instead. The lawyers for the boys have not responded to requests for comment on the case, and their identities are not public because they are minors.
NYPD data indicates that shooting incidents are still down more than 13% citywide. Gothamist’s map of gun violence over the past 5 years shows the blocks where shooting incidents tend to be concentrated. Not really sure why this matters, but it’s interesting to see where these incidents are happening. Maybe it’s just me, but I feel like more needs to be done to address the root causes of this violence and prevent these tragic events from happening in the first place. It’s a concerning trend that teenagers are getting involved in such serious crimes, and the impact on the victims and their families is devastating. As a community, we need to come together to support each other and work towards a safer environment for everyone.
