A tragic scene unfolded Thursday evening at a Queens park, where a teenager was fatally shot in what authorities suspect is a gang-related incident. The young victim, frequently seen playing basketball in the area, lost his life while the shooter remains unidentified and on the run, according to police and various sources.
The NYPD responded swiftly to a 911 call just before 6:20 p.m. and discovered the 15-year-old boy with a gunshot wound to his torso near Nautilus Playground in Roy Wilkins Park, St. Albans. Despite efforts to save him, the boy succumbed to his injuries at Jamaica Hospital, as confirmed by police.
Law enforcement sources indicate that the teenager appeared to have been specifically targeted in this violent act. As authorities descended on the park, the area was bustling with young people enjoying the unusually warm evening. Witnesses recalled hearing the sharp crack of gunfire and then the sight of the victim lying motionless on the ground.
A frequent visitor to the park, AJ, recounted the chaotic moments following the shooting. “I was playing basketball in the park, and you know these troublesome kids always come here to fight and cause trouble. I heard a shot, rushed over to check on my friends, and make sure everyone was okay,” he shared with The Post.
Authorities swarmed the park, which was full of youngsters on the unseasonably warm evening — with witnesses describing hearing the popping sound of gunfire and then seeing the victim lying on the ground.
“I was playing basketball in the park, and you know these badass little kids always wanna come here, fight, and do dumb s—t. Came over here, heard a shot go off, and I came running over here to make sure everyone was OK, especially my friends,” AJ, a frequent parkgoer, told The Post.
“And I see a kid lying dead, and I know him from coming over here to play basketball. He’s a good basketball player. Cool kid.”
“Dumb s—t man. Stay off the streets. Just play basketball,” he added, noting that seeing the dead boy was “traumatizing.”
Tony, who was exiting the park’s recreational center, thought the large police presence was an exercise — before realizing the horror.
“It’s unusual for around here. For this area, it’s unusual. The younger and younger they’re getting guns now,” he said.
“I think it’s crazy, man, these kids can’t come to the playground and play. I think that’s ridiculous. Children should be able to come to the playground and play. There’s nowhere else to play.”
No arrests have been made, and the investigation remains ongoing, police said.
