On a late summer evening in Queens, New York, the life of 23-year-old Antoine Folkes was tragically cut short. On August 26, 2019, Folkes and another man, Marcellus Shields, who was 22, were discovered inside a parked Kia sedan in the Rosedale neighborhood. Both men had sustained multiple gunshot wounds and were pronounced dead at the scene by emergency medical services.
The discovery was made after police responded to a 911 call about two men being shot inside a vehicle at the corner of 149th Drive and 255th Street.
The day of the shooting had already been marked by violence. Hours earlier, in the nearby Springfield Gardens, a friend of Folkes, 21-year-old David Hutchinson, was also fatally shot in a drive-by incident. Folkes was reportedly mourning the loss of his friend when he himself became a victim of gun violence. This earlier event led investigators to explore the possibility of a connection between the two deadly shootings, as both involved a white vehicle. In the case of Folkes and Shields, witnesses reported seeing a white SUV flee the scene after the gunshots rang out. It was said that three unidentified men were in the SUV, which drove past the victims' car, made a U-turn, and then opened fire.
The investigation into the double homicide pointed towards a potential link to gang activity. Folkes was identified as a reputed member of the Queens-based SNOW Gang. Despite law enforcement's efforts and public appeals for information, including the release of the victims' photos and offering a reward, no arrests have been made in the murders of Antoine Folkes and Marcellus Shields. The case remains unsolved, leaving their families searching for answers and justice. Folkes's mother expressed her profound grief and confusion, stating she had no idea why anyone would want to harm her son.
