A 17-year-old boy has been arrested and charged with murder following the shooting in the Bronx that claimed the life of 16-year-old soccer player Christopher Redding and injured two other teenagers, according to police.
The arrest took place on Saturday in the northwest Bronx.
The charges against the suspect include murder, attempted murder, manslaughter, assault, and unlawful possession of a loaded firearm, as reported by the NYPD.
Details regarding the suspect remain confidential due to his age.
This arrest marks the first in relation to the shooting that occurred on Wednesday at Broadway and West 238th Street in Kingsbridge.
Redding was shot in the back around 5:10 p.m. after a conflict started inside a nearby McDonald’s, as noted by his father, which escalated into a physical altercation spilling into the street.
Responding to a 911 call about multiple gunshot victims, officers found Redding alongside a 15-year-old boy and a 13-year-old girl, both of whom suffered serious leg injuries, according to police reports.
All three were transported to St. Barnabas Hospital, where Redding was pronounced dead, while the two younger victims are currently listed in stable condition.
Redding, residing at 1454 Walton Ave., was shopping for food during the incident, according to his father, Brian Corey.
“He was just going to grab something to eat,” Corey recalled. “Some kids stirred up trouble, and words were exchanged, leading to this tragic event.”
Corey explained that Redding tried to assist a friend when the situation escalated fatally.
“From what we’ve gathered, there was an argument inside McDonald’s involving one of his female friends and an older woman with a child,” Corey mentioned.
“The woman called for help, and that’s when things turned against her. The girl reached out to Christopher, and he came to separate them.”
“As they tried to leave, the boy pulled out a gun and started shooting.”
There remain three other suspects at large.
New York City police detectives have released surveillance images of four individuals sought in connection with the shooting.
Authorities have yet to provide details regarding the origin of the conflict inside the McDonald’s.
Investigators are examining the possibility that the shooting may have gang ties and whether Redding was specifically targeted or simply caught up in the unfolding situation.
Anyone with information regarding the remaining suspects is urged to contact the NYPD’s Crime Stoppers Hotline at 1-800-577-TIPS. The investigation is ongoing.
