On a summer afternoon in Brooklyn, New York, the life of 23-year-old Chioteke Thompson was violently cut short. On June 27, 2020, Thompson and 39-year-old Stephanie Perkins were sitting on a stoop on Van Siclen Street in the East New York neighborhood when a gunman approached them. The assailant, disguised in a blonde wig and a long coat, opened fire with a high-capacity rifle, unleashing a barrage of more than 20 rounds. Thompson was struck in the face, and Perkins was shot in the back.
Both were pronounced dead at the scene. The shooter then stepped over their bodies, entered the residence, and fired more shots before fleeing.
The brazen daylight attack sent shockwaves through the community, as grieving family members and neighbors gathered near the tragic scene. The New York Police Department quickly launched an investigation and, the following day, identified 47-year-old Charles Hernandez as a suspect. A manhunt ensued, and on July 9, 2020, Hernandez was apprehended in West Virginia by the Regional Fugitive Task Force. The investigation revealed that the victims were not random targets but were targeted because of their connection to a man with whom Hernandez had an ongoing dispute.
In September 2020, the Brooklyn District Attorney's Office announced that Hernandez had been indicted on charges of first-degree murder, among other offenses, for the deaths of Thompson and Perkins, as well as the murder of another man, Kenneth Singleton, a week prior. A co-defendant, Liza Jenkins, was also charged with hindering prosecution and tampering with evidence in connection to the first homicide. Following a jury trial, Charles Hernandez was convicted in May 2025 of one count of first-degree murder, two counts of second-degree murder, and other related charges. He was subsequently sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole. Liza Jenkins was also convicted for her role in assisting Hernandez.
