In the summer of 2020, a brazen afternoon shooting in Brooklyn claimed the life of 32-year-old William Rollins. On August 12th, in the Brownsville neighborhood, Rollins was shot multiple times in the chest in what was described as a cold-blooded murder. The incident occurred at approximately 1:58 p.m. in front of the Tilden Houses on Blake Avenue.
Emergency responders rushed Rollins to Brookdale Hospital, but his injuries proved fatal, and he was pronounced dead.
At the time, the killing marked the third homicide in Brooklyn in less than a day, contributing to a sense of unease in the community. Residents and even law enforcement officials expressed concern over the escalating violence, with one detective noting the apparent lack of concern from perpetrators about witnesses or surveillance cameras.
In the immediate aftermath of the shooting, police began searching for a suspect. Eyewitnesses described the gunman as a Black man who was wearing a white t-shirt, black shorts, black sneakers, and a black hat with a white logo. He was reportedly carrying a green umbrella and a silver handgun. The suspect was last seen fleeing the scene on foot towards Stone Street, and later, video footage indicated he may have escaped in a black Lexus. As of the initial reports, no arrests had been made in connection with the murder of William Rollins.
