Three more teens have been arrested for the gang-fueled April beatdown and fatal shooting of a 15-year-old boy in Queens, authorities said.
Three 15-year-old boys were arrested – one on May 12, another on Thursday and the most recent on Friday – all facing charges of gang assault in the April 16 death of Jaden Pierre inside Roy Wilkins Park in St. Albans, police said.
The teen arrested Friday turned himself in at the NYPD’s 113th Precinct, marking the fifth person nabbed in the vicious slaying – a bloody end to a social media-hyped water gun fight that the young victim had organized, according to authorities.
The boy arrested Thursday – whose case was being handled in Family Court – was released pending further investigation, law enforcement sources said. The status of the other 15-year-olds’ cases was not immediately known.
Zahir Davis, 18 – allegedly a member of the “emerging” BG4 gang – is accused of shooting Pierre in the upper chest with a silver firearm during the disturbing caught-on-video scene, according to prosecutors.
Davis, who initially fled to Jamaica, was arrested April 24 and has since been ordered held without bail on second-degree murder and other charges.
A 16-year-old boy was arrested May 6 on first-degree attempted gang assault and third-degree assault charges — and was ordered held on $750,000 cash bail or $1 million bond during his arraignment, prosecutors said.
Pierre was allegedly dragged to the ground by the ruthless crew and brought back to his feet with his back against a fence when the 16-year-old allegedly dealt a blow to his face, authorities said.
Pierre had a simmering, months-long feud with one of the teens involved in the beatdown, NYPD Chief of Detectives Joseph Kenny previously said.
“They have an ongoing beef [dating back] to January, [where] the victim was jumped by that kid and assaulted.”
“Unfortunately, you had a bunch of kids who went there to have fun and play, but then you also had numerous gang members from the area … show up,” Kenny added.
“Then they crossed paths and this is what led to the shooting.”
