On a summer evening that should have been filled with the celebratory sounds of Independence Day, chaos and tragedy struck in the Bronx. On July 4, 2021, Rikona Kirby, a 33-year-old male, was fatally shot in front of the Castle Hill Houses on Lacombe Avenue. The festive sounds of fireworks echoing through the neighborhood masked the gunshots, leaving residents unaware of the violence that had just unfolded. It was just before 10 p.m.
when police received a 911 call about the shooting.
Upon their arrival, officers discovered Kirby with multiple gunshot wounds to his chest and head. Emergency services rushed him to Jacobi Hospital, but his injuries proved too severe, and he was pronounced dead. Kirby lived nearby on Olmstead Avenue, making the violent act one that struck close to home.
The investigation into Kirby's death continued for months. In late August of 2021, the New York Police Department identified a suspect, 35-year-old Devin Webbert. A few months later, on November 18, 2021, authorities arrested Webbert. He was subsequently charged with murder in connection with the shooting death of Rikona Kirby.
