FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Friday, February 26, 2016
Brooklyn Man Sentenced to 30 Years to Life for Killing
79-Year-Old Bystander Outside Bedford-Stuyvesant Barbershop
Fired Gun at Two Rivals and Struck Innocent Man
Brooklyn District Attorney Ken Thompson today announced that a 22-year-old Brooklyn gang member was sentenced to 30 years to life in prison for the 2011 shooting death of a 79-year-old innocent bystander who was struck in the neck as he stood outside a barbershop when the defendant fired his gun at two rivals.
District Attorney Thompson said, “This defendant opened fire in the middle of a busy street in broad daylight, killing an innocent elderly man. We will not allow gang members to settle their scores by shooting guns in our streets and the long sentence this defendant deservedly received shows our commitment to vigorously prosecute anyone who does.”
The District Attorney identified the defendant as Breeze King, 22, of 465 Lexington Avenue in Bedford-Stuvesant, Brooklyn. He was sentenced today by Brooklyn Supreme Court Justice Guy Mangano to 30 years to life in prison, following his conviction on January 28, 2016 on charges of second-degree murder and second-degree criminal possession of a weapon after a jury trial.
The District Attorney said that, according to trial testimony, on September 28, 2011 at about 5:30 p.m., the defendant, who is a gang member, encountered two rivals on the street and opened fire on them. One of the targets ran into a barbershop at 358 Marcus Garvey Boulevard in Bedford-Stuyvesant. Andrew Burke, 79, who was standing in front of the barbershop, was struck in the neck and died from the gunshot wound.
A witness who came forward about a year after the incident identified the defendant as the shooter, according to the investigation. Another witness testified that the defendant admitted his role to him when they were both jailed on Rikers Island.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant District Attorneys Leila Rosini and Adam Uris of the District Attorney’s Violent Criminal Enterprises Bureau, under the supervision of Nicole Chavis, Chief, and the overall supervision of Executive Assistant District Attorney William E. Schaeffer, Chief of the District Attorney’s Investigations Division.
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