In the late afternoon of September 24, 2017, a tragic incident unfolded inside a home on Warburton Avenue in Yonkers, New York, leading to the untimely death of 16-year-old Joseph Kuaffo. A male of Black/African American descent, Kuaffo sustained a fatal gunshot wound to the chest. Emergency services were called to the scene around 4:20 p.m., and the teenager was rushed to a local hospital where he was pronounced dead.
The initial investigation by Yonkers police quickly identified a
suspect, 17-year-old Horace Allen of the Bronx. It was determined that Kuaffo and Allen were friends who had met at the Children's Village, a residential treatment center for troubled youth. On the day of the shooting, the two were in Kuaffo's bedroom. Allen was reportedly showing off a handgun to Kuaffo and pointing it at his cellphone during a video call when the weapon discharged. The single bullet struck both the phone and Kuaffo's chest.
In the immediate aftermath of the shooting, Allen fled the scene. However, his mother contacted the police, and he later turned himself in to authorities. An investigation led by detectives from the Major Case and Crime Scene Units resulted in Allen's arrest. He was subsequently indicted on multiple felony charges, including second-degree manslaughter, second-degree criminal possession of a weapon, criminally negligent homicide, and criminal possession of a firearm.
Horace Allen was held without bail at the Westchester County jail following his arrest. In March 2018, he pleaded guilty to second-degree manslaughter. This plea was part of an agreement that covered the other charges he was facing. The case underscored the devastating consequences of reckless firearm handling, leaving a community to mourn the loss of a young life and another to face the legal ramifications of his actions.
