Press Release

Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz announced that two defendants have been indicted on charges related to the shooting death and assault of 15-year-old Jaden Pierre during a large gathering of teens in Roy Wilkins Park last month. A group of teenagers allegedly set upon Jaden and beat him before one teen took out a gun and shot him in the chest.

Alleged shooter, 18-year-old Zahir Davis, was indicted on charges of murder in the second degree, gang assault in the first degree and weapon possession. A 16-year-old defendant was apprehended today and arraigned on charges of attempted gang assault in the first degree and assault in the third degree in connection with the assault of Jaden before the shooting.

District Attorney Katz said: “The events in a residential park that day grabbed the attention of this City. As alleged, a 15-year-old teen who was ganged up on by multiple teenagers while others watched and took video, was then shot and killed by 18-year-old Zahir Davis. Davis shot and killed Jaden Pierre directly after the 16-year-old – indicted but unnamed because of his age – acting with others repeatedly punched, kicked and berated him. That 16-year-old was arraigned today on attempted gang assault in the first degree and his bail was set at $750,000. Jaden Pierre, the victim, was unarmed and allegedly did not fight back. We are actively investigating and searching for the other aggressors.”

The 16-year-old defendant, of Brooklyn, was arraigned today on the indictment charging him with attempted gang assault in the first degree and assault in the third degree. Queens Supreme Court Justice Bruna DiBiase ordered him to return to court June 4. If convicted, he faces up to 15 years in prison.

Davis, 18, of Springfield Gardens, was charged in an indictment with two counts of murder in the second degree, gang assault in the first degree and two counts of criminal possession of a weapon in the second degree. He is scheduled to be arraigned in Supreme Court on May 20. If convicted, the defendant faces up to 25 years to life in prison.

District Attorney Katz said that, according to the charges and investigation, on April 16, at approximately 6:15 p.m., a large group of teenagers gathered in Roy Wilkins Park in St. Albans for a water gun fight advertised on social media.

During the gathering a group of boys, including the 16-year-old defendant, attacked Jaden and punched and kicked him repeatedly with several other attackers. Jaden was dragged to the ground and returned to his feet with his back against a fence. The 16-year-old allegedly punched Jaden again in the face.

Davis, who was holding a backpack and standing next to the 16-year-old, allegedly pulled out a silver firearm from his bag and shot Jaden in the upper chest.

Jaden fell to the ground and was transported to a local hospital where he was pronounced deceased.

Davis then fled to the island of Jamaica after the shooting and returned to the United States on April 24. He was apprehended by members of the NYPD’s 113th Precinct at JFK Airport upon his return.

The 16-year-old defendant, the subject of an arrest warrant on the indictment, surrendered today to members of the 113 Detective Squad.

The investigation into other participants in the gang assault remains ongoing.

Senior Assistant District Attorney John Esposito of the District Attorney’s Homicide Bureau is prosecuting this case with the assistance of Assistant District Attorney Caitlyn E. Muldoon, under the supervision of Assistant District Attorneys John Kosinski, Bureau Chief, Karen Ross and Jonathan Selkowe, Deputy Chiefs, and under the overall supervision of Executive Assistant District Attorney for Major Crimes Shawn Clark.