A 15-year-old boy wielding a sawed-off shotgun, bizarrely modified with a Pop-Tarts box affixed to its muzzle, was apprehended after allegedly firing at an older adversary on a Bronx street on Christmas Eve, police reported on Tuesday.
This arrest comes amidst ongoing investigations by NYPD detectives who are still on the hunt for the assailant responsible for the tragic killing of 15-year-old Eric Aitken, which occurred four days prior in a building at NYCHA’s Eastchester Gardens in the Bronx. According to a law enforcement source familiar with the case, the suspect in Aitken’s murder could be as young as 13.
In the Christmas Eve incident, officers from the 41st Precinct responded to reports of gunfire at the intersection of Longfellow Ave. and Aldus St. in Longwood shortly after 8 a.m. They discovered that a teenager had opened fire on a 20-year-old man, fortunately missing his target.
The young gunman reportedly fled the scene by jumping into a car with another teen accomplice. The victim recounted that the pair sped away from the scene immediately after the shooting.
Police commenced a search for the suspect’s vehicle and, within an hour, successfully located the 15-year-old shooter and his accomplice approximately a mile away on Beck St. near Leggett Ave. During the apprehension, officers discovered a sawed-off shotgun inside the car. The weapon was distinctively modified with electrical tape around its handle and a piece of cardboard from a Pop-Tarts box taped to its muzzle, officials revealed.
A sawed-off shotgun with electric tape wrapped around the handle and cardboard from a Pop-Tarts box taped to the muzzle were found in the car, officials said.
The 15-year-old was identified as the shooter and charged with attempted murder, assault and criminal possession of a weapon, cops said. The 16-year-old with him was charged with weapons possession because the shotgun was found in the car they were riding in.
It was not immediately clear who was driving the vehicle at the time it was pulled over.
The two suspects’ names were not immediately released due to their ages. It wasn’t immediately disclosed why the 15-year-old had allegedly taken aim at his older intended target.
Capt. Elvis Badia of the 41st Precinct hailed the arrest on X.
“On Christmas Eve, proactive policing led to the removal of a sawed-off shotgun from our community,” Badia wrote. “One less illegal firearm, one safer neighborhood. Keeping our neighborhood safe, especially during the holidays, remains our top priority.”
In the unrelated incident four days earlier, Eric Aitken was fatally shot in the chest during a dispute between two groups of teens. A 14-year-old, Eric’s friend, was shot in the left arm.
Eric lived in Waterbury, Conn., but had come to the Bronx to visit some friends, police sources said. While they were hanging out, they got involved in a dispute with a group of six teens.
Police have identified some members of the rival group and were actively looking for them, cops said. The shooter, sources believe, could be as young as 13.
No arrests have been made.
Waterbury Mayor Paul Pernerewski lamented the senseless violence.
“The loss of a young life, especially one filled with promise, is devastating beyond words, and our thoughts and prayers are with his family as they endure this unimaginable pain,” Pernerewski said in a press release.
“No family should ever have to bury a child, and no young person should lose their life to violence,” he added. “This tragedy is a stark reminder of the urgent need to continue working together to address gun violence and to ensure that our children are safe, supported and protected.”
Anyone with information regarding Eric’s death is urged to call NYPD Crime Stoppers at (800) 577-TIPS. All tips will be kept confidential.
