13-year-old fatally shot in the head while walking to school
Theophilus Samuel’s Monday morning began like any other, until a frantic call changed everything.
Samuel, 55, had already arrived at Zucker Hillside Hospital in Queens, where he works preparing patient rooms, when his daughter and son called with urgent news: his 13-year-old son, Sanjay, had been shot while walking to school in Cambria Heights. Samuel rushed to Cohen Children’s Medical Center, where doctors worked to save his son, who had been struck in the back of the head. An extensive brain injury left Sanjay with little chance of survival. On Wednesday afternoon, after two days on life support, Sanjay was pronounced dead, having lost all brain activity.
Authorities identified a 16-year-old boy as a possible shooter. The teen surrendered to police Friday morning and was arraigned on Saturday on charges of second-degree murder and criminal possession of a weapon. If convicted, he faces up to 25 years to life in prison. Police said the shooting appeared linked to “gang” activity, based on social media posts, though Sanjay had no criminal record and was not in the gang database. The confrontation began outside a Dunkin’ on Linden Boulevard, where Sanjay and his friends were confronted by the teen, who had arrived on a scooter. An argument escalated into a physical fight, during which the teen fired a gun, striking Sanjay in the head before fleeing.
Sanjay’s father described the harrowing days at the hospital, waiting by his son’s bedside as doctors attempted to stabilize him. “It’s very difficult as a parent,” Samuel said. Relatives remembered Sanjay as a cheerful boy who loved basketball, fishing, and reggae music. His older half-brother, Steffon Gordon, lamented that despite trying to act as a role model, he had recently stepped back, letting his younger brother navigate life largely on his own. “My brother lost his life in the streets as a 13-year-old. That is not normal,” Gordon said, reflecting on the tragedy and the challenges of shielding children from dangerous influences.
The shooting is the latest in a series of incidents in New York City involving teenagers, highlighting ongoing concerns about youth violence in the city.
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