A teenager who was allegedly involved in a group assault on a 15-year-old girl in March was shot to death Tuesday afternoon at a Brooklyn intersection, police reported.
Police have identified the victim as Tyquan Howard, 16, of Sterling Place. Paramedics rushed him to Brookdale University Medical Center, where he later died of his wound.
The shooting occurred just after 1 p.m. on May 12 in front of 1475 Saint John’s Place. However, the victim apparently was able to run to 1550 Sterling Place, around the corner from the crime scene, where he collapsed.
Officers from the 77th Precinct found him on the ground, along with a blood trail from the original shooting scene, police say.
There were few witnesses to the incident as most people were sheltering in place due to COVID-19.
The New York Post reported that Howard was charged with robbery and gang assault for being among a crew of teens caught-on-camera ambushing a 15-year-old victim for her Air Jordans on March 5 on Utica Avenue in Crown Heights. The circumstances of his release were not clear.
Howard is alleged to have been part of a swarm who punched and kicked the girl in the head while she curled helplessly on the sidewalk, the stunning footage showed.
The incident drew outrage from community activists who blasted the group of boys who attacked the girl, beating her unconscious.
In addition, that sector of the 77th Precinct has been plagued by gun violence over the last nine months.
Paul Hoilett, 31, was shot and killed outside of 232 Buffalo Ave. on Saturday, April 11. Back on Aug. 8, 2019, four people were shot during a memorial at Sterling Place and Buffalo Avenue.
The NYPD has set up a Mobile Command Patrol Unit on the corner of Rochester Avenue and Sterling Place, yet shootings have still occurring too often.
The city’s murder rate last month jumped by 34.8%, with 31 murders during the month of April versus 23 the year before, despite people sheltering in place during the COVID-19 crisis. Officials believe much of it is driven by an uptick in gang related violence both in upper Manhattan, the Bronx and the south eastern parts of Brooklyn.
Murder is up 4.1% (102 v. 98) for the first four months of the year when compared to the first four months of 2019.
Read more: Staten Island Teen Bus Stabbing Linked to Gang Activity
