NEW YORK, NY – Two Bronx men, Darrius Christopher and Robert Wade were sentenced to 168 months in prison over a 2019 triple shooting at a playground in the Bronx.
According to court records, the two men were each convicted, following trial, on December 7, 2022, of one count of possessing ammunition after having previously been convicted of a felony and one count of conspiracy to possess ammunition after having previously been convicted of a felony.
In the Bronx, New York, approximately one block north of Slattery Playground, Christopher and Wade were dropped off by a car minutes before 7:42 p.m. On the sidewalk adjacent to Slattery Playground, approximately 10 young people were gathered. As they approached the group from the opposite side of Ryer Avenue, Christopher removed a handgun from his pocket and racked the weapon, preparing it to fire. Soon after, Christopher crossed the street and approached the group of people while Wade positioned himself on the opposite street of Ryer Avenue. When Christopher was mere feet from the group, Christopher and Wade both opened fire. Christopher fired three shots while Wade fired seven bullets at the crowd. Christopher and Wade hit three victims, all of whom received treatment from a local hospital that night and were released. A few blocks away, Christopher and Wade made a quick getaway into a waiting getaway car.
“Today’s sentence demonstrates that those who use illegal weapons to inflict violence in our community will be held accountable for their crimes. I thank our law enforcement partners in the New York City Police Department and the Drug Enforcement Administration for working with us to keep violent criminals off the streets and to keep our communities safe,” said U.S. Attorney Damian Williams.
According to evidence presented in court during the trial:
One of the shooting victims posted online video footage insulting rival gang members only hours before the shooting, according to evidence at trial. It was proven that the shooting was revenge for insults lodged against the gang by one of its victims.