In a tragic and senseless act of violence, 19-year-old Dereck Chen was shot and killed on the night of August 4, 2022, in the parking garage of a BJ's Wholesale Club in the Bath Beach neighborhood of Brooklyn. The young man was with friends at the time of the incident, which unfolded at approximately 10:15 p.m. Chen, a resident of nearby Bensonhurst, was a student at Kingsboro Community College and also worked at a local grocery store.
The fatal encounter began when Chen and his friends
were in an elevator leading to the parking garage. They were confronted by an individual who attempted to steal Chen's backpack. When Chen resisted and fought back to protect his property, the assailant pulled out a firearm and shot him in the face and shoulder. Following the shooting, Chen was rushed to NYU Langone Hospital-Brooklyn, where he was pronounced dead.
The suspect, identified as 18-year-old Edino Tzul of Brooklyn, attempted to flee the scene on foot but was quickly apprehended by responding police officers. A 9mm handgun was recovered at the scene. Investigators believe the deadly incident was the result of a random robbery attempt, and that the victim and his attacker did not know each other. In addition to the attack on Chen, Tzul also allegedly robbed Chen's 17-year-old friend at gunpoint, stealing his wallet, AirPods, and a speaker.
Edino Tzul, who had no prior criminal record, was arrested and faced a host of serious charges, including murder, six counts of robbery, four counts of criminal use of a firearm, and two counts of criminal possession of a weapon. The swift arrest brought a suspect into custody, but the community was left to mourn the sudden and violent loss of a young life. A week after the shooting, family, friends, and community leaders gathered for a candlelight vigil to remember Dereck Chen and to call for an end to the violence that claimed his life.
