Brooklyn gang member Timothy Spence has admitted his role in the Aug. 17, 2025 mass shooting at Taste of the City Lounge in Crown Heights, pleading guilty Tuesday, June 2, 2026, in federal court. Prosecutors say a burst of gunfire in and around the crowded bar left three people dead and 10 others wounded. Spence pleaded guilty to assault in aid of racketeering and to discharging a firearm during a crime of violence, charges that carry a mandatory minimum of 10 years in prison and could keep him locked up for life.
Prosecutors describe what happened inside the bar
In a press release, the U.S. Attorney’s Office said Spence and other members of the 5-9 Brims unleashed gunfire during a gang dispute inside the jam-packed lounge, turning the space into what U.S. Attorney Joseph Nocella Jr. called a “killing zone.” Justice Department officials say the barrage lasted only seconds but left both patrons and bystanders among the victims.
The night of Aug. 17, 2025
Surveillance video from inside the lounge shows people diving for cover as more than 40 rounds are fired in roughly six seconds, according to law enforcement accounts and local coverage. ABC News reports that two of the dead were identified as suspected gunmen, and that 27-year-old Amadou Diallo, an Uber Eats driver, was killed in the crossfire outside the lounge.
Charges, penalties and next steps
Prosecutors say Spence waived indictment and entered guilty pleas to assault in aid of racketeering (18 U.S.C. §1959(a)(3)) and discharging a firearm during a crime of violence (18 U.S.C. §924(c)). According to the U.S. Attorney’s Office, the firearms charge alone carries a 10-year mandatory minimum, and the racketeering-related assault count allows for a maximum sentence of life in prison. The case is being prosecuted by the Organized Crime and Gangs Section of the U.S. Attorney's Office, and sentencing has not yet been set. Justice Department
Local fallout and background
In the days after the shooting, neighbors and family members described the loss as devastating. A prayer service for Amadou Diallo was held five days after the attack, where his brother remembered him as “a cheerful person who likes to help others,” according to News12. Hoodline previously covered the original Aug. 17 shooting and the federal arrests that followed; that reporting provides background on earlier charges tied to the same incident.
Federal and local investigators say Spence’s guilty plea marks a significant step in a broader probe into the 5-9 Brims’ activity in Brooklyn, and that more prosecutions could still be coming as the investigation continues. For now, the plea brings one part of a sprawling Crown Heights case closer to resolution. Earlier developments in the case remain central to the ongoing federal effort.
