It is believed that it was a gang shooting that killed an innocent young man.
The family and friends of a man killed in a barbecue late at night spoke as police continued to search for shooters.
College basketball star Darius Lee (21) graduated in 2018 from the Bronx St. Raymond High School. He was due to graduate from Houston Baptist University the following year.
Lee was proud of his family, friends, coaches, and teammates, and they honored him on Monday night in Harlem and Houston.
Raymond High School published a statement about a former student’s death in an Instagram post:
“We are broken and crushed to learn of Darius Lee’s pointless departure from the 2018 class. Our prayers and compassion are now going to his family and we are praying for his eternal vacation with our Lord. In addition to being a huge basketball star, he was phenomenal a man and a young man who lived such a positive life succeeded in school, on the field and in life. These senseless acts of violence must end … such a tragedy. “
He was shot and killed after a shooting broke out at a boiling ride on the Harlem River around 12:30 on Monday.
Nine people were shot.
Seven men and two women between the ages of 21 and 42 were struck in East River Park on Fifth Avenue and East 139th Street.
The two shooters have gang ties and at least one of them may have been a shooter.
Due to the location of the fire, on the other side of the road, there is very little surveillance video.
SEE: Where the shooting broke out and where the victims fled
According to the organizer’s Instagram post, it was specifically chosen to evade the police.
“She’s an innocent child,” said Lee’s sister Tiara Weaver. “He decided to stay outside one day and that’s how it happens.”
“He was a pure soul. So kind,” said his cousin Thailyn Lee. “There was nothing on the streets or anything. He played basketball. He didn’t deserve anything.”
Police found a weapon at the scene.
Detectives believe at least three weapons were used to make the dozens of shots.
They are still trying to determine how much.
So far no arrests have been made and they are asking for public help.
Mayor Eric Adams and police commissioner are expected to deliver a new update on Tuesday afternoon.
After the shooting, Lee’s coach expressed grief and confusion over the premature killing of his star.
“Darius was a remarkable young man who loved the Lord, his mother, his family, his teammates, his friends, and his entire HBU family,” wrote Ron Cottrell, head coach of HBU men’s basketball. “We’re in shock and can’t turn our heads around this news.”
Despite the violent nature of Lee’s death, Cottrell added that his student-athlete had left a positive legacy.
“As great a basketball player as he was, he was an even better person. I can’t even think of basketball right now. I can only think how easy it was for Darius during his short time on earth. He was a joy. He was a coach and we loved him so much. very much, “wrote Cottrell.
HBU Athletics Director Steve Moniac not only expressed his sadness at Lee’s loss, but also deplored another act of gun violence.
“He was a very cool young man with a very bright future ahead of him, both on and off the field. Unfortunately, this is yet another example of the senseless gun violence that is plaguing our country right now and we are all praying for it to end,” Moniac said in a statement.
Lee’s influence on the square was also too hard to ignore.
Last season, he was second on the All-Southland Conference after leading the Houston Baptist goal and table. He was also one of the best defenders in the country, finishing sixth in the game in terms of breaks.
Darius’ father Eric Lee says his son was once chubby and was not a child to become a star athlete.
But by the time he was 21, Lee had earned one basketball scholarship after another and was a university star. He was not a young adult waiting for a victim of gun violence.
Anyone with information is welcome to call the NYPD Crime Stoppers Hotline at 1-800-577-TIPS (8477) or in Spanish at 1-888-57-PISTA (74782). You can also submit tips by visiting the CrimeStoppers website at crimestoppers.nypdonline.org or by posting to Twitter @NYPDTips.
According to the Armed Violence Archive, there have been 277 mass shootings in the United States as of June 20 this year.
There were 692 mass shootings in 2021, 611 in 2020 and 417 in 2019.
The Armed Violence Archive defines mass shooting as a shooting in which four or more people, except the perpetrator, are injured or killed.
KTRK, a nurse station in Houston, contributed to this report
READ KA Three members of the same family were killed in the Queen’s fire
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