An 18-year-old Bronx resident, recently swept up in the aftermath of a fatal drive-by shooting, is vigorously proclaiming his innocence after his vehicle was struck by what is believed to be a getaway car. As reported by ABC7 New York, the young man, whose name is withheld due to safety concerns, was involved in an accident that resulted in him being charged with gun possession.
Despite the teen's insistence that he was merely a victim in a bizarre turn of events, police arrested him while he was at the hospital receiving treatment for injuries sustained from the crash. Numerous family and friends turned up in court to back the teen, with one supporter relaying to ABC7 New York, "He was nervous. I mean, I can imagine a kid that just turned 18 years old, you know, never been into a crime and now he's just graduated high school and he's being brought up on weapons charges. This makes no sense."
The complications began when the teenager's car was hit by another vehicle fleeing the scene of the shooting in Allerton. According to ABC7 New York, authorities found a gun under the teenager's mangled vehicle and ammunition on the dashboard, sparking the legal ordeal. The family contends these items were tossed from the suspect's vehicle and are not the teen's. Echoing this sentiment, a friend commented, "If this was an 80-year-old woman driving that vehicle, no way would they have accused her of even having a weapon."
Though initially treated as a victim, the teenager is now embroiled in a legal fight against charges including weapon and ammunition possession. His father expressed frustration, asking, "The ambulance came and took him to the hospital, and an hour later, the cops showed up to arrest him. I found that pretty bizarre," as acquired from a News 12 The Bronx interview.
The teen awaits forensic test results, hopeful they will clear his name, and the family is calling for the burden of proof to fall on the city's shoulders. "The burden of proof is on the the city is on those police officers, the detectives, the DA, The burden of proof is on them. They accused my son. So, the burden of proof is on them," the father told ABC7 New York.
With the case slated to return to court in October, the family and friends of the teen remain steadfast in their support, determined to see justice served. The collective hope is that the forthcoming evidence will demonstrate the teen's innocence, as he reiterated in a statement obtained by News 12 The Bronx, “Everything is going to show my innocence.”
