By Nelson A. King
A gunman killed a 15-yearold
Haitian-boy on Feb. 22 in
the lobby of his Flatbush apartment
building, where he lived
with his family.
Police said Samuel Joseph
— a sophomore at the High
School for Youth and Community
Development on the Erasmus
Hall campus in Flatbush
and one of eight siblings from
a family of Haitian immigrants
— was shot and killed in front
of his sister by a hooded gunman.
Police said Samuel was exiting
his apartment building on
Flatbush Avenue to get something
to eat about 5:45 pm,
when the masked assailant
confronted him.
He was shot in the face, head
and chest, and died at a nearby
hospital, police said.
Brooklyn Assemblywoman
Rodneyse Bichotte paid tribute
to the young boy.
“Even in his young age,
Samuel Joseph was an inspiration
Caribbean L 6 ife, March 1–7, 2019 BQ
PATIENTS’
CHOICE
RATED & AWARDED BY PATIENTS
SM
to others in the Flatbush
area, encouraging them to take
up extracurricular activities to
stay preoccupied and out of
trouble,” Bichotte, the daughter
of Haitian immigrants,
said on Feb. 23. “My sincerest
condolences go out to Samuel
Joseph’s family and loved ones,”
continued Bichotte. “Too many
bright and talented children
are taken too soon. Too many
families are left with trauma as
a result of senseless violence.”
She said surveillance video
recovered by police from adjacent
businesses showed two
young men stopping and speaking
to one of Joseph’s sisters in
front of their building.
“His sister was walking down
the street, and you can see these
two men have a conversation
with her and apparently asked
where her brother was,” said
Bichotte, who had spoken to one
of Joseph’s sisters and watched
the video. “One guy stood outside,
and one came inside, did
the shooting and left.”
Police said no one is yet to be
arrested in the case, and they
haven’t found a clear motive for
the shooting.
“This was planned, but I
don’t know if it was the right
target,” said Bichotte, adding
that stories like these “don’t
get any less heartbreaking” the
more she hears about them.
She demanded that gun violence
in that community end.
“Children, especially those
of color, should be allowed to
enjoy their childhood without
fearing for their lives,” Bichotte
said. “My colleagues and I will
be watching this story closely.
“This incident only makes
us more fervent in the fight
against gun violence and for the
protection of children,” added
Bichotte, stating that, just last
month, a slew of bills regulating
the usage, purchase, and
transport of guns were signed
into law in the New York Legislature.
She said these laws will go
into effect later in the year.
Assemblywoman Rodneyse Bichotte paid tribute to young
Samuel Joseph. Photo via New York State Assembly
Gunman kills 15-year-old
Haitian boy in Flatbush