15-Year-Old Gang Member Arrested In White Castle Shooting: YPD

YONKERS, NY — Police said they have charged a 15-year-old gang member with attempted murder in connection with a shooting that is being characterized as a drug deal gone bad.

On November 6, just after 11 p.m., the Yonkers Police Department responded to a report of a gunshot victim collapsing in the parking lot of Saint Joseph’s Hospital on South Broadway. Officers met the victim who had been moved inside to the ER. He was in critical condition with several gunshot wounds and was later transferred to a local area trauma center.

The victim’s car was found in the hospital parking lot with bullet holes and other evidence of recent gunfire, investigators said.

Detectives from the Major Case Squad and Crime Scene Unit interviewed subjects and witnesses, recovered surveillance video, processed forensic and ballistic evidence and were soon able to trace the victim’s movements back to where the shooting incident happened, in the parking lot of the White Castle restaurant on South Broadway.

Investigators believe the 20-year-old resident of Yonkers had driven to White Castle to meet with others to buy marijuana. Police say one of those people he was meeting displayed a 9mm handgun and attempted to rob the victim of his money, drugs, cell phone and car. The suspect then fired at least two gunshots at the victim, striking him with both shots.

The suspect, who has not been identified because of his age, then fled on foot. The victim was able to drive himself to the hospital.

No other injuries were reported and nothing was actually taken from the victim.

Investigators were eventually able to identify the gunman as a 15-year-old member of the local Mak Balla Blood street gang. He was located by Major Case Unit and Gang Unit detectives on November 9, and arrested.

The teenage suspect was already known to investigators and had previously been arrested and convicted of multiple shooting incidents when he was only 13 years old, according to authorities.

The juvenile was charged with attempted murder 2 and felony assault, police said.