QUEENS, N.Y. — Seven men have been indicted in connection with a fatal gang-related shooting that erupted during a baby shower in Richmond Hill last May, Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz announced this week. The incident claimed the life of a 24-year-old man, injured three others, and left partygoers scrambling for cover in chaos.
The shooting began outside the venue, where two individuals opened fire on a group standing near the entrance, injuring two men. The violence then spilled inside the event space, Volume Seventeen on Atlantic Avenue, where over 40 people, including four children, had gathered. Investigators allege multiple attendees returned fire through the venue’s windows, resulting in a hail of gunfire that killed Jefari Dobie-Reinhardt of Great Neck and wounded another guest.
“It was a scene out of the Wild West with at least 35 bullet casings recovered,” Katz said in a statement. “An event that was supposed to be the celebration of a new life turned into a deadly bloodbath.”
Four of the defendants — Michael Hammond, 20; Jermaine Orr, 23; Javed Duncan, 23; and Jameer Bennett, 20 — face charges including criminal possession of a weapon, reckless endangerment, and endangering the welfare of a child. Two other suspects, Lagarthucin LeGrand, 50, and his son, 26-year-old Lagarthucin LeGrand Jr., are accused of tampering with evidence and possessing illegal firearms. A seventh suspect remains at large.
Authorities recovered a 9mm pistol hidden in a tray of rice behind the venue and another gun concealed in a tray of food. Police also collected 35 shell casings and other ballistic evidence. The defendants face sentences ranging from four to 15 years in prison if convicted.