Evette Jeffrey dies in fatal Bronx shooting
Fatal Bronx shooting death of Evette Jeffrey – Obituary
Evette Jeffrey, a 16-year-old high school student, was tragically killed in a shooting near the Bronx Latin School in New York City on Monday evening.
Police responded to 911 calls shortly after 5 p.m. reporting a girl had been shot near the school. Officers arrived to find Jeffrey unconscious with a gunshot wound to the head. She was taken to Lincoln Hospital but was later pronounced dead.
Officials said a group of teens had left the schoolyard and gathered along a walkway when a physical altercation broke out. A 14-year-old boy, who had been punched in the face during the fight, was handed a firearm. He then fired three shots into the crowd.
Surveillance video showed Jeffrey approaching the scene on a scooter. Though she was not involved in the fight, a male attempted to pull her behind a brick wall to protect her. Despite this, one of the bullets struck her in the head, fatally wounding her.
Jeffrey, who had just celebrated her 16th birthday, was a student at Morris High School. Her grandmother expressed heartbreak and said she would never forgive those involved.
Authorities confirmed that the 14-year-old suspect was arrested on Tuesday. Bronx Borough President Vanessa Gibson shared that Jeffrey’s mother was devastated, calling the loss “absolutely inconsolable.â€
Mayor Eric Adams described the shooting as an “unimaginable tragedy,†while Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch called for urgent action, noting a sharp rise in youth gun violence in the Bronx.
