A mother is holding onto hope as her 13-year-old son, who was shot in the head outside a Dunkin’ Donuts in Queens, remains on life support. Sanjay Samuel, a student at Martin Van Buren High School, is described by his mother, Vilene Griffith, as “brain-dead” following the incident that occurred while he was heading to school on Monday morning.
“I believe in miracles, and I trust that God will help Sanjay stand up again,” she mentioned. She shared that her son had dreams of becoming a firefighter.
“He’s not breathing on his own. Nothing is happening,” she lamented.
Witnesses recounted that the gunman, a young man, confronted Samuel at the café before drawing his weapon and firing. According to police sources, the suspect fled the scene with an afro hairstyle and a distinctive “jaw” backpack.
Sanjay was quickly rushed to Cohen Children’s Medical Center due to the severe gunshot wound. His father, Theophilus Samuel, explained that the bullet is still lodged behind Sanjay’s head.
“We inquired about surgery to remove it, but they advised against it, saying it might worsen his condition,” he stated.
While the investigation into the shooting continues, a 14-year-old classmate suggested that Sanjay, typically known as a friendly student, might have recently gotten involved with the wrong crowd.
“It could be the group he was hanging out with… I’m not sure if they were friends or not. I know there was a minor incident before,” the classmate reflected.
No arrests have been made yet, and police have not identified the shooter, whom Sanjay’s father characterized as a “coward.”
“How do you live with this? You might feel powerful right now, but eventually, you have to think about taking another person’s life,” Samuel added.
Griffith is searching for answers, wondering why someone would shoot her son—a basketball player aspiring to become a firefighter.
Earlier this year, Sanjay graduated from junior high school.
“I lost my son, and you’ve lost your mother too,” she said, expressing her grief.
