A 14-year-old suspect, believed by authorities to have provided the firearm involved in the tragic shooting of a 16-year-old girl at a Bronx schoolyard, was apprehended, according to law enforcement sources.
The teenager, who had been evading capture since the fatal incident on May 12 involving Morris High School student Evette Jeffrey, was located by the US Marshals Regional Fugitive Task Force on Monday morning. He was found at a family friend’s residence within NYCHA’s Forest Houses, as reported by the sources.
Charges are pending against the teen, the second 14-year-old picked up in connection to the senseless murder.
The first suspect, also 14, faced a judge from his hospital bed late last week and has been charged with second-degree murder, prosecutors stated.
He pleaded not guilty and was ordered held without bail.
“The defendant fired numerous shots on school grounds in the direction of approximately 20 school-age children,” Assistant District Attorney Timothy Collins said. “The defendant struck an innocent bystander, a 16-year-old girl, in the head. The incident is on video. The defendant has been identified as the shooter.”
The boy allegedly used a semi-automatic pistol during the early evening melee outside 800 Home Street in the Morrisania neighborhood. The building houses three schools: Dr. Richard Izquierdo Health and Science and Science Charter School, Bronx Latin and Bronx Career and College Preparatory High School.
Investigators believe the mayhem was sparked by a feud between street gangs – the Forest Over Everything crew and an upstart gang calling itself Kreep On Davidson, based at the Davidson Houses public housing complex, NYPD Chief of Detectives Joseph Kenny said last week.
“The victim, Evette Jeffrey, was not involved in this dispute,” Kenny said. “She was an innocent bystander who was simply trying to take cover behind the brick wall and was struck in the head by one of the rounds.”
Relatives said Evette was celebrating her one-year anniversary with her boyfriend, also 16, at a Chinese restaurant after school and decided to stop at the playground – where she found herself in the line of fire.
“She’s forever 16,” the girl’s grandma previously said. “That’s it.”
Evette’s grandmother couldn’t bring herself to forgive the youngsters involved in the daylight violence that took her granddaughter’s life.
“I don’t forgive you,” she sobbed. “I hold your family responsible because they should be watching you. Whoever handed you [the gun] or had it, I will never forgive you.”
