FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Wednesday, February 22, 2023
Coney Island Teenagers Indicted for Beating and Stabbing Death of
17-Year-Old Boy in After School Gang Assault
Thirteen-Year-Old Charged with Murder for Allegedly Stabbing Victim to Death; Co-Defendants Charged with Manslaughter for Allegedly Kicking and Punching Victim
Brooklyn District Attorney Eric Gonzalez today announced that three teenagers have been arraigned on an indictment in which they are variously charged with murder, manslaughter and gang assault for allegedly fatally attacking a 17-year-old boy in Coney Island in an after-school assault stemming from a dispute over a girl.
District Attorney Gonzalez said, “Nyheem Wright had his whole life ahead of him when he was brutally and senselessly murdered, and my heart goes out to his family, friends and all those impacted by this horrific crime. That this terrible attack was allegedly committed by young teenagers is shocking and heartbreaking, but we will not tolerate this kind of violence in Brooklyn, and my office will vigorously seek justice on Nyheem’s behalf.”
The District Attorney said the defendants are 13- ,14- and 16-year-old boys, all of Coney Island, Brooklyn. They were arraigned today before Brooklyn Supreme Court Justice Craig Walker on an indictment in which they are variously charged with second-degree murder, first-degree manslaughter and first- and second-degree gang assault. The 13- year-old defendant is being held without bail, the 14-year-old’s bail is set at $50,000 cash or $75,000 bond and the 16-year-old’s bail is set at $75,000 cash or $100,000 bond. The defendants were ordered to return to court on April 12, 2023. The 13-year-old faces a maximum sentence of nine years to life in prison if convicted of the top count with which he is charged. The two other defendants face up to 10 years in prison if convicted of the top count with which they are charged.
The District Attorney said that, according to the investigation, on January 20, 2023, at approximately 3:15 p.m., the victim, Nyheem Wright, 17, was in front of a strip mall located at 3001 Mermaid Avenue with his twin brother when he was allegedly surrounded by the defendants and a fight ensued. The two older defendants allegedly kicked and punched Nyheem about the head and body and the youngest defendant then allegedly charged at the victim and stabbed him in the torso.
The defendants fled the scene and turned themselves into police two days later.
Nyheem Wright died of a stab wound to the torso, according to the Office of the New York City Chief Medical Examiner.
The case is being prosecuted by Senior Assistant District Attorney Jhounelle Cunningham, of the District Attorney’s Homicide Bureau, under the supervision of Assistant District Attorney Leila Rosini, Homicide Bureau Chief.
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An indictment is an accusatory instrument and not proof of a defendant’s guilt.