A 26-year-old Manhattan man has been charged following the fatal shooting of a 29-year-old man who had come to the aid of his mother amid a petty dispute on Sunday afternoon, Sept. 29, in the Belmont section of The Bronx, Bronx District Attorney Darcel Clark announced on Thursday, Oct. 24.

 

In the context of the announcement, Clark said, “Instead of walking away from an argument, this defendant allegedly shot a man dead on a Bronx street in front of the victim’s mother. It is another example of senseless gun violence.”

 

Clark said the defendant, Herman Gayle, 26, of West 151^st Street in Manhattan was arraigned on Thursday on second-degree murder, first-degree manslaughter, two counts of second-degree criminal possession of a weapon, and possession of ammunition before Bronx Supreme Court Justice Brenda Rivera. Gayle was remanded in custody and is due back in court in January 2025. He is deemed innocent unless and until convicted in a court of law.

According to the investigation, and as reported, on Sept. 29, at around 1:48 p.m., on East 182^nd Street, Gayle allegedly got into an argument with a woman blocking a store entrance. The woman called to her son, Devonte Serrano, 29, who was nearby and told him Gayle was bothering her. Serrano confronted Gayle and the latter allegedly called someone on his cell phone and stated, “Get my gun.” Gayle then left the scene, later returning and brawling with the victim. He then allegedly fired at least three shots, striking Serrano in the chest and stomach.

 

A police spokesperson said at the time, “Police responded to a 911 call for a person shot in the vicinity of East 182 Street and Mapes Avenue, within the confines of the 48 Precinct. Upon arrival, officers observed a 29-year-old male with a gunshot wound to the head. EMS responded to the location and pronounced the male deceased on scene.”

 

Several family members and neighbors were seen at the scene, some with tears streaming down their faces. The victim’s aunt said, “All I know is my nephew was shot.”

 

Speaking in Spanish, one local pastor said he and others were in a nearby church when someone entered the church to tell them that someone had been shot. Asked if he was one of the first people on the scene, he said he was not.

A female neighbor, Elizabeth, said of the incident, “There’s a guy here from the community; he has been here all his life. His mom lived in this building. They grew up on this block. It takes as a surprise that somebody so young.. I can’t believe it right now, because it’s hard to ask the family about what happened but yeah, eventually, with the investigation, we’ll find out what’s going on.”

 

“They grew up with my daughter and my son here,” Elizabeth said. She shared her condolences for the victim’s family.

 

Some of the female congregants began to pray for the victim and the family at the scene.

 

On Monday, Sept. 30, pursuant to an ongoing investigation, police announced that Gayle was arrested on Sunday, Sept. 29, at 10 p.m. They said he was charged with second-degree murder and second-degree criminal possession of a weapon. The deceased was identified as Serrano of Belmont.

The case is being prosecuted by Homicide Senior Trial Assistant Janene Carter under the supervision of Burim Namani, deputy chief of the Homicide Bureau, Christine Scaccia, chief of the Homicide Bureau, and under the overall supervision of James Brennan, deputy chief of the Trial Division and Theresa Gottlieb, chief of the Trial Division. Homicide Major Case Assistant Victoria Fiorenza assisted with the Grand Jury presentation.

 

Clark thanked Trial Preparation Assistant Supervisor Jazmin Pagoada, Trial Preparation Assistant Matteo Urrego, and Crime Victim Advocate Emelis Santana.

 

She also thanked NYPD Detective David Monahan of the Bronx Homicide Squad and Detective Joseph Zaccaro of the 48^th Precinct for their assistance with the investigation.

Anyone with information in regard to this incident is asked to call the NYPD’s Crime Stoppers Hotline at 1-800-577-TIPS (8477) or for Spanish, 1-888-57-PISTA (74782). The public can also submit their tips by logging onto the Crimestoppers website at https://crimestoppers.nypdonline.org/ or on X @NYPDTips.

All calls are strictly confidential.