After more than four years with no arrests, detectives say they have finally cracked a 2021 drive-by shooting in Williamsbridge that killed an 18-year-old and wounded three bystanders. NYPD officials report that three Bronx men have been taken into custody in connection with the November 2021 attack and now face murder-related charges: 20-year-old Nickoy Brown, 24-year-old Jeivany Sterling and 22-year-old Marlon Smith.
Break In A Long-Running Case
According to the New York Daily News, the arrests followed a renewed push by investigators this spring that leaned on fresh reviews of surveillance footage and new witness interviews. Brown was taken into custody in early April, Sterling was arrested at the end of April on murder and conspiracy counts, and Smith was detained in mid May. Police say detectives assigned to the cold-case investigation developed leads that ultimately pointed to the trio.
What Detectives Say Happened
ABC7 reports that the shooting unfolded on Nov. 17, 2021, when a black SUV rolled up on Burke Avenue near Barnes Avenue and someone inside opened fire on people standing on the sidewalk. Surveillance footage released at the time shows the vehicle passing by as gunfire erupts and bystanders scramble for cover. Police initially described the incident as a targeted drive-by that left multiple people shot.
The Teen Killed And The Wounded Bystanders
As detailed by the Bronx Times, the victim who died was 18-year-old Aneki Chung, who was shot in the head and succumbed to his injuries five days after the Nov. 17 shooting. Three others were also hit: a 59-year-old woman, a 15-year-old boy and a 26-year-old man. All three were taken to Jacobi Medical Center, and authorities said they were believed to be unintended victims who were expected to recover.
How The Case Came Together And The Charges
The New York Daily News notes that detectives later circulated photos and video of the SUV involved, and say that trail of evidence helped lead them to the suspects. A shaken witness recalled, "They fired many shots and I ducked down." Prosecutors now say Brown and Sterling have been indicted in Chung's killing, while Smith also faces murder charges. Brown and Sterling were ordered held without bail, and police have not publicly disclosed a possible motive.
Why This Shooting Still Hits Nerve In The Bronx
The 2021 drive-by landed in the middle of a major spike in gun violence across the borough. ABC7 reported that shooting victims in the Bronx were up roughly 147 percent compared with 2019, a surge that left investigators juggling a flood of cases. Local prosecutors have pointed to the way some teen gun cases are handled as a factor that can complicate long-term investigations. The latest arrests give prosecutors a tighter, long-running case file to work with, but securing convictions will still mean stitching together surveillance, witness accounts and forensic evidence years after the fact.
What Comes Next
Prosecutors are expected to continue moving the cases through Bronx criminal court in the coming months. Investigators have again urged anyone who may have video or information tied to the Nov. 17, 2021 shooting to contact Crime Stoppers at 1-800-577-TIPS or visit nypdcrimestoppers.com, as reported by Bronx.com. For Chung's family, the arrests represent at least some measure of progress, but it will be up to a jury to decide whether the charges end in convictions.
