A troubled teenager was arrested on Tuesday for the fatal shooting of a 14-year-old boy on a scooter in Queens last month, according to sources. It turns out the incident stemmed from an online argument, rather than a robbery.
Police apprehended the 17-year-old suspect, associated with the Crips gang, at his home around 11:30 a.m. He faces murder charges for shooting Malakai Adams in the back and then fleeing the scene on the victim’s scooter on September 21 in Edgemere.
Initially, law enforcement had suggested that the shooting might have been a robbery gone wrong, but later clarified that it was linked to a conflict between the two boys online.
The identity of the alleged shooter hasn’t been disclosed due to his age, but he had previously been caught with a loaded .22-caliber firearm in July 2025 after police stopped him for shooting fireworks at people, sources reported.
Details about the previous case remain private because of his age.
According to police, the suspect is linked to the Crips but isn’t listed in the NYPD’s official gang database.
The tragic event occurred around 3:40 p.m. when the suspect approached Adams, who was riding his scooter, with a gun near Ocean Bay Apartments on Beach Channel Drive—an area known for crime.
Adams attempted to escape but was shot. Afterward, the suspect took the scooter and fled east on Norton Avenue, authorities said.
Adams was quickly taken to Long Island Jewish Hospital but unfortunately succumbed to his injuries.
In a heartfelt online fundraiser for her son’s burial, his mother, Alexis Credle, commemorated her “beautiful son.”
“My baby, you were taken from me far too soon,” she expressed online. “I will carry you in my heart every single day for the rest of my life. I love you more than words could ever say.”
The teenager accused of the crime was set to appear for arraignment on Tuesday.
