In the spring of 2017, a dispute outside the Queensbridge Houses in Long Island City, Queens, tragically cut short the life of 38-year-old Javares Face Batts. On the afternoon of May 15, Batts, who was also known by the nickname 'Face,' was shot multiple times on Vernon Boulevard. He was struck once in the chest and twice in the back. Emergency services rushed him to New York Presbyterian Weill Cornell Hospital, where he succumbed to his injuries the following day, May 16, 2017.
The shooting marked a grim end to a period of relative peace in the nation's largest public housing complex, which had not seen a fatal shooting in over a year.
Investigations into the homicide revealed that the shooting stemmed from a prior altercation. According to police sources, Batts had a confrontation with a man known as 'Animal.' Following their dispute, 'Animal' reportedly entered one of the Queensbridge buildings and returned with a second man. Both individuals were armed and opened fire on Batts. Authorities later identified one of the suspects as 34-year-old Justice Johnson, a resident of the Queensbridge Houses. It was reported that Johnson fired three rounds, hitting Batts once.
Despite identifying a suspect and recovering a firearm, the investigation did not lead to an immediate arrest. In the days following the shooting, the New York Police Department announced they were searching for Justice Johnson, who had fled the scene. However, reports from that time indicated that Johnson remained at large. Publicly available information has not provided any updates on whether Justice Johnson or the second suspect, known as 'Animal,' were ever apprehended or formally charged in connection with the death of Javares Batts. The case, as it stands from available online sources, remains without a public resolution regarding arrests or convictions.
