The alleged gunman who shot a prominent YouTuber to death in Harlem in July allegedly took photos of his targets just before the slaying — and one day after taking a selfie with the weapon he would use in the fatal shooting, according to court statements made Tuesday.
Mohamed Sawaneh, 21 — who claimed he “didn’t do s–t” at his August perp walk — appeared before a Manhattan judge on Sept. 10 for his purported role in a deadly and chaotic shooting that left a man dead. Prosecutors say that Sawaneh drove by 118th Street and 8th Avenue at around 1:32 p.m. on July 2 and snapped several photos of a group standing on the block by a car.
Cops said Sawaneh allegedly circled around before returning at 1:39 p.m. that day and firing a slew of shots just as 37-year-old sports YouTuber Jeremy Cummings was joining the crowd.
Police sources say a single bullet struck Cummings in the abdomen. He crawled behind a nearby parked car where cops and EMS discovered him wounded. They rushed Cummings to Mount Sinai Hospital, where he later died.
Meanwhile, in a frantic attempt to escape, court records noted, Sawaneh allegedly crashed his car into the back of a Health Department Van one block away. The 61-year-old van driver, who suffered minor injuries from the collision, told cops he saw the suspect drop his phone and hightail it while holding a firearm.
The madness, however, did not end there. Sawaneh is accused of then approaching two 13-year-old boys and their teachers on 118th Street and Lenox Avenue where he stole their Citibike at gunpoint.
When police later recovered the suspect’s cell phone, prosecutors said, they discovered photos of the group he had fired upon along with selfies of him holding a gun.
Further statements made on the record charge that Sawaneh fled New York State to Ohio; he was not arrested until he returned to Chinatown on a bus on Aug. 13.
Sawaneh is charged with murder in the second degree, one count of robbery in the first degree, two counts of criminal possession of a weapon, and one count of leaving the scene of an incident without reporting with personal injury.
“As alleged, Mohamed Sawaneh committed a deadly, broad daylight shooting and committed multiple additional, serious crimes in the span of minutes,” District Attorney Bragg said. “This alleged, vicious conduct put several people at risk of being harmed and tragically took the life of Jeremy Cummings, a friendly sports lover. My thoughts are with Mr. Cummings’ family and loved ones during this difficult time.”
Sawaneh was remanded in custody. He faces 25 years to life in prison if convicted.
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