Charges Filed After Labor Day Shooting in the Bronx

On Wednesday, authorities charged five young individuals—four of whom are teens—with murder related to a drive-by shooting that occurred on Labor Day in the Bronx. This tragic incident resulted in the death of Jamali Henry, 24, outside a known spot for marijuana sales, and left four others injured.

The suspects include Heron Martin, 21; Sham Murray, 19; Kai Orai, 19; and Jose Gomez, 18, along with a 16-year-old whose identity remains withheld due to his age, according to police reports.

All suspects face charges of attempted murder, criminal possession of a weapon, and recklessly endangering others during the gunfire.

The chaos began around 7:30 PM when a stolen gray Honda Accord arrived at the deli, police stated. That’s when two gunmen exited the vehicle and opened fire on the group of five victims.

As nearby officers attempted to stop the suspects, the driver crashed the vehicle into a Honda Odyssey roughly half a mile away on Arnow and Horn Avenue, as detailed by law enforcement. One of the teenage suspects, Gomez, was reportedly hospitalized due to serious injuries from the crash.

While reports suggest a potential gang connection to the violence, the NYPD has not confirmed any specifics regarding motives on that day.

This incident contributes to a noticeable rise in gun violence across the Bronx in recent days. In response, Mayor Eric Adams has dispatched an additional 1,000 police officers to the city’s hotspots.

Last week, there was also a deadly shooting incident involving a young suspect. On August 26, a 15-year-old with a prior criminal record was arrested for the shooting death of Kelvin Mosquea during a robbery gone wrong outside a housing development.

“We’re witnessing shooters getting younger and younger,” Mayor Adams remarked during an interview on Fox 5. He reflected on the direct impact of recent legislation both in Albany and the city council.

Further complicating the situation, another shooting on August 23 left a 17-year-old girl in critical condition following crossfire at a basketball tournament that killed 32-year-old Jay Sil Banks and injured three others.

Police have arrested a group of four suspects, aged 16, 17, 20, and 25, regarding this potentially gang-related shooting.

“I’m pursuing gun violence in the Bronx,” remarked NYPD Commissioner Jessica Tisch during a news segment.

Interestingly, NYPD statistics indicate a decrease in shooting incidents in the Bronx recently. There were 27 shootings last month, down from 34 in August 2024, and the count of shooting victims dropped from 49 to 44 during the same period.

In the first eight months of the year, the numbers reflect 186 shooting incidents, down from 224 in the same timeframe the previous year.