A teenager has been taken into custody for allegedly delivering the final blow to a boy shortly before another youth shot him dead during a fight in a Queens park last month.
A 16-year-old was arrested and charged on Wednesday with assaulting 15-year-old Jayden Pierre, who was killed at Roy Wilkins Park on April 16, according to Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz.
This teen faces charges alongside 18-year-old Zahir Davis, who is accused of firing the weapon that killed Pierre during a gang-related altercation, prosecutors reported.
The 16-year-old, hailing from Brooklyn, reportedly joined a group of unruly teens who began attacking Pierre in St. Albans park after a water gun fight was organized online around 6:15 p.m.
Authorities stated that the group, which was unarmed, “repeatedly punched and kicked him.”
When Pierre was knocked to the ground and tried to get back up with his back against a fence, the younger boy allegedly landed another brutal punch to his face.
Davis then reportedly drew a silver gun from his bag and shot Pierre in the upper chest. The ninth-grader from Eagle Academy was rushed to a hospital, where he was later pronounced dead.
The 16-year-old turned himself in after arrest warrants were issued for attempted first-degree gang assault and third-degree assault, according to prosecutors.
During his arraignment, Queens Supreme Court Judge Bruna DiBiase set bail at $750,000. A conviction could lead to a prison sentence of up to 15 years.
His mother, Chantel Weston, 33, expressed her grief, stating, “He was a sweet kid… He really didn’t deserve it at all.”
Investigators are continuing to probe the incident, searching for other teens who participated in the assault prior to the shooting.
Katz commented on the incident, saying, “The events that occurred that day at a residential park drew the city’s attention. A 15-year-old was reportedly mobbed by multiple teens and then shot by 18-year-old Zahir Davis while others watched and recorded.” The investigation for other participants is ongoing.
The 16-year-old is due back in court on June 4, while Davis, facing potential life sentences, is scheduled for arraignment in Supreme Court on May 20.
