In the early hours of New Year's Day 2021, a celebration turned into a tragedy that marked the first homicide of the year in New York City. Robert Williams, a 20-year-old male from Rosedale, Queens, was fatally shot outside the Umbrella Hotel in Kew Gardens. Known affectionately as Dre to his loved ones, he was on the cusp of his 21st birthday, a milestone he and his friends had gathered at the hotel to celebrate.
The festive mood soured when an argument broke out in the hotel lobby as Williams and his friends were heading out to get food.
The dispute escalated with deadly consequences. Shortly after 1 a.m., gunfire erupted, striking Williams and two other men. Williams succumbed to his injuries at the scene, his life cut tragically short just a day before he would have turned 21. The two other victims were transported to local hospitals for treatment. In the wake of the shooting, Williams' family and friends remembered him as a kind-hearted and respectable young man, who had been a championship quarterback and captain for the Rosedale Jets football team.
The investigation into the shooting led to the arrest of 19-year-old Richard Swygert of the Bronx in October 2021. He was indicted by a Queens grand jury and faced charges of murder, attempted murder, assault, and criminal possession of a firearm. Initially, police had indicated they were searching for three other suspects in connection with the incident. In the aftermath, the victim's family filed a wrongful death lawsuit against the Umbrella Hotel, alleging inadequate security.
