In the early morning hours of April 9, 2022, the life of 38-year-old Kevin Alves, a Black male, was tragically cut short in a burst of gunfire within the lobby of a Crown Heights apartment building on Bergen Street in Brooklyn, New York. It was around 1:00 a.m. when an assailant opened fire from the street into the building, striking Alves in the head.
Another 45-year-old man in the lobby was also hit, suffering a gunshot wound to the chest and a graze wound to his ear, but he survived the attack. Emergency services rushed both men to Kings County Hospital, where Alves ultimately succumbed to his injuries.
The investigation into the shooting led police to identify Andrew Decoteau as the alleged gunman. Several months after the incident, on July 26, 2023, the then 20-year-old Decoteau was apprehended at his Brooklyn residence. He was subsequently charged with a slate of serious felonies, including murder, attempted murder, assault, and weapons possession. While a motive for the shooting was not immediately made public, it was noted that Alves was a frequent presence in the lobby of the building where the fatal shooting occurred. The building itself had been described as being plagued by violence.
Following his arrest, Andrew Decoteau faced pending legal proceedings for the charges brought against him. The case highlighted the persistent issue of gun violence in the Crown Heights neighborhood.
