5-Year-Old Girl, Two Others Shot in Bed-Stuy

Syniah Herndon

A five-year-old girl and two men were shot yesterday around 2:30 p.m. outside 275 Halsey Street in Bed-Stuy. All three were hospitalized in stable condition. As families barbecued outside on a seasonable Sunday afternoon, two men stepped out of a silver Nissan and at least one of them began emptying his .45 caliber handgun, sources tell the Post. Little Syniah Herndon was shot in the leg during the shootout, while Jamel Franklin, 20, and Darnell Billinghurst, 23, were both shot in the arm. Syniah's mother says:

She keeps saying that she shouldn’t have gone outside today. She may never want to go outside again. She was outside playing with her friends, just running around being kids, and I was also outside in my car, when a sound like firecrackers went off and everybody started running. I looked around for her, and she was on the floor.

15 shell casings were found at the scene. The NYPD is still searching for the suspects, but investigators believe another man may have returned fire, because shell casings of a different caliber were found further down the block. The shooter's black shirt and baseball cap were also found dumped a block away, ABC reports. Unfortunately, witnesses aren't too eager to talk to police. "There was probably 150 people out here, but no one saw anything," a police source tells the Daily News.

"It's the first I heard of it," one neighbor tells NY1. "I don't think it's something that happens regularly over here. That's insane, I don't know what to say. It's insane." And Franklin's uncle tells the Post, "The neighborhood is very family-oriented, and this younger generation has another agenda. When it gets hot outside, these kids act crazy. Unfortunately, this is only the beginning of spring. I’m afraid to see what the rest of the year is going to bring."

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By John Del Signore in News on April 12, 2010 8:34 AM

Comments [rss]

Wza

Do or Die Bed Stuy.

dgeee

I love the loud voices of black community leaders speaking with outrage and anger over this incident..... (crickets chirping).

BrassmenHenry

There was probably 150 people out here, but no one saw anything

Who ever made this statement above EITHER HAS NO JUDGE

OF people on the street or does NOT live in NYCity

On one street block like Halsey ( WHICH IS not a main drag like Fulton Street )

You are NOT GOING TO HAVE 150 people out on the streets

even if you add up both sides of the streets on Halsey

between Tompkins and Throop Aves

These are primarily Brownstones not Apartment buildings

At best you made have 40 people up and down both sides

of the street!

KNOW YOUR CITY BEFORE YOU MAKE INFLAMATORY STATEMENTS !

Tower18

Sorry, you're the one who seems not to know that block. Even a cursory glance at Google Street View would show you that the block in question has a number of 4-5 story apartment buildings, including the address where the incident took place. These buildings would likely have 8 units each (2 per floor) or 10 units (if they have garden apartments). Those 10 units would have AT LEAST 15 people, assuming at least a few of the tenants will have children...so 15x5 buildings=75 people just in those 5 buildings alone.

Regardless, I count 59 buildings on the street. BUILDINGS. So even if we assume that no one had guests on a day when they were barbecuing, 150 people sounds like a pretty conservative estimate, actually, especially if the police were counting AFTER the shooting, when more came outside to see what happened.

The point is, 150 or 50 or 15, nobody is cooperating with the police.

Think2wice

"No snitchin'" is less of a ghetto honor code and more like a state of terror. This city needs to get more police presence, witness protection, and community watch groups going in Bed Stuy, Morrisania et al.

MT

It's going to be a long, hot summer.

Splicer

Anyone who harms a child should be dead. Period.

Dirk

There was probably 150 people out here, but no one saw anything

Then I guess the cops can't do their job and catch these guys. Fine. Let's move onto another case then. I'm sure there are crimes where the victims want to actually help the cops.