A Bronx man has been sentenced to a maximum of 15 years in prison for his role in a shooting that seriously injured a five-year-old girl, officials said Wednesday. The United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, Jay Clayton, confirmed Austin Morrishow's sentence, which comes in connection with a shooting that occurred on June 30, 2023, during a sidewalk vigil in the Bronx. Morrishow had previously pled guilty to illegally possessing ammunition and was on the run for eight months before his capture.
"On June 30, 2023, Austin Morrishow and his co-defendant, Curtis White, fired several shots while attending a sidewalk vigil for someone who, in a sad twist of irony, was killed in a shooting," Clayton stated. The incident took place when a car backfired, leading to panic, and resulted in Morrishow firing at the vehicles, one of the shots striking the young girl in the chest. While Morrishow has been sentenced, his co-defendant White received his sentence earlier on July 9, leading to 51 months imprisonment following his capture in July 2023, as reported by the U.S. Attorney's Office.
The prosecution stemmed from a vigil that turned violent when Morrishow, armed and not legally permitted to possess ammunition due to previous convictions, assumed a shooting stance behind a parked vehicle and emptied his pistol at three cars trying to flee the scene. Curtis White chased the cars, discharging his firearm as well, which also left several casings and bullet damage in the vicinity, as documented by the authorities.
In addition to his prison term, Morrishow, 27, is required to serve three years of supervised release and pay restitution to the victim's family, according to the announcement. New York City Police Department's investigative work was commended, with special thanks extended to the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and the U.S. Marshals Service for their role in apprehending the defendants. The case was prosecuted by the Office’s General Crimes Unit, lead by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jerry J. Fang.
