Open Letter from Dexia Billingslea to Her Late Son, Prince Shabazz, 14

By DEXIA BILLINGSLEA

Dear Prince, When a child is born, it is the mother’s instinct to protect her baby; a mother is not supposed to bury her children. My baby, it’s been one month since you transitioned. I sit on your bed often. I smell your pillows and look at notebooks in your bookbag just to see your handwriting. I look at your texts, I look at your pictures every day. I can’t believe you’re gone; my heart is bleeding for you every day. Wednesday, Nov. 30, I woke up. It was a normal day. We sat in the kitchen together

By SÍLE MOLONEY

POLICE RESPOND TO a shooting at 189 Burnside Avenue in University Heights on Thursday, Dec. 15, 2022. Video courtesy of the Citizens’ App. The NYPD has arrested a 19-year-old man following the fatal shooting of Johnny Gaston in University Heights on Dec. 15. Pursuant to an ongoing investigation, Gibran Guerrero, 19, from Mt. Hope was arrested on Tuesday, Jan. 3, at 7 p.m. at the 46th Precinct. He has been charged with murder, attempted murder, manslaughter, assault, robbery, and criminal possession of a weapon (a loaded gun). As reported, the NYPD had been asking for the public’s

By SÍLE MOLONEY

On Monday, Sept. 19, 2022, at around 5.45 a.m., in front of 365 East 204th Street, an armed person chased a 31-year-old man on foot and fired multiple shots, striking the male victim in the back, chest, ear, and hand. Video courtesy of the NYPD NYPD officials said a 39-year-old man has been arrested in connection with an early morning shooting that occurred in Norwood in September 2022. As reported, police said that on Monday, Sept. 19, at around 5.45 a.m., in front of 365 East 204th Street, an armed person chased a 31-year-old man on foot and

By SÍLE MOLONEY

The NYPD is asking for the public’s assistance locating the person seen in the attached photo who is being sought for leaving the scene of a motor vehicle collision in which injuries were sustained and which occurred in the the Mt. Hope section of The Bronx on Monday, Dec. 12, 2022. Police said that on Monday, Dec. 12, 2022, at around 11.50 a.m., a 43-year-old female victim was crossing the street at the intersection of Clay Avenue and East 175th Street when a red BMW sedan which, according to bystanders, was being driven recklessly at high speed, traveled through

By SÍLE MOLONEY

A 29-year-old man has died and three other men are wounded but are in stable condition following a multiple shooting in the Crotona section of The Bronx, police said. According to the NYPD, on Wednesday, Dec. 28, at 6.36 p.m., officers from the 48th Precinct responded to a 911 call regarding a group of people who had been shot at East Tremont Avenue and Southern Boulevard. “Upon arrival, police discovered four individuals shot,” a police spokesperson said. “Victim #1, a 28-year-old male, was shot in the chest and transported to St. Barnabas Hospital where he was pronounced deceased.

By SÍLE MOLONEY

Damian Williams, U.S. attorney for the Southern District of New York, announced on Dec. 12 that Bronx man, Ralph Berry, was sentenced to life in prison for the June 2000 fatal shooting in The Bronx of innocent bystander, Caprice Jones. Jones was left paralyzed from the shooting and died from his injuries 10 years later in November 2010. Berry was convicted following a jury trial on September 30, 2021, before then-U.S. District Judge Alison J. Nathan. Judge Nathan, now a U.S. circuit judge, sitting by designation in Manhattan federal court, imposed the sentence. Reacting to the announcement, Williams said,

By SÍLE MOLONEY

A 29-year-old man has died following a fatal shooting in the Van Nest section of The Bronx, police said. An NYPD spokesperson said that on Monday, Dec. 26, at 9.08 p.m., officers responded to a 911 call regarding a man who had been shot at Van Nest Avenue and Melville Street. “Upon arrival, police discovered a 29-year-old male shot in the chest,” the spokesperson said. “EMS transported the victim to New York Health and Hospitals/Jacobi where he was pronounced deceased.” Police said there are no arrests and the investigation is ongoing. On Dec. 27, the Bureau

By SÍLE MOLONEY

The NYPD is asking for the public’s assistance identifying the person seen in the attached photo who is sought regarding an assault that occurred in University Heights. It was reported to police that on Saturday, Dec. 17, at around 4 a.m., in the vicinity of West Fordham Road and the Major Deegan Expressway, a 30-year-old man was involved in a vehicle collision with an unidentified person. “A dispute followed the collision at which point the unidentified individual discharged a firearm, striking the victim in the right leg,” an NYPD spokesperson said. “EMS responded to the location and

By SÍLE MOLONEY

The NYPD has opened a homicide investigation following the fatal shooting of a 26-year-old man in Crotona, police said. On Monday, Dec. 26, at around 4.05 a.m. at East Tremont Avenue and Marmion Avenue, police said they had a pick-up regarding a man who was shot in the area. “Police observed a 26-year-old male, unconscious and unresponsive, with multiple gunshot wounds to his torso,” an NYPD spokesperson said. “EMS responded and transported the male to St. Barnabas Hospital where he was pronounced deceased.” There are no arrests and the investigation is ongoing. The NYPD has released a photo and