On the evening of September 2, 2016, a violent encounter in the Flatlands neighborhood of Brooklyn brought a tragic end to the life of 21-year-old Anthony Francis. The young man was sitting in his parked BMW with his girlfriend at around 7:00 PM, concluding a date. Suddenly, a dark-colored sedan pulled alongside them, and a hail of bullets was fired into his vehicle.
Struck multiple times in the chest, Francis's last act was one of heroism; he managed to push his girlfriend out of the car, shielding her from the gunfire just before he collapsed. Emergency responders rushed him to a local hospital, but his wounds proved fatal, and he was pronounced dead.
The investigation that followed uncovered a deadly rivalry between street gangs. Authorities determined that Francis was a member of the Canarsie-based Woo gang. The perpetrators were identified as members of the rival Folk Nation gang from Flatbush, who had been actively seeking out rivals to target that evening. According to trial testimony, upon spotting Francis, one of the assailants yelled 'Woo,' a greeting used by Woo gang members, before they opened fire with at least two different large-caliber handguns, riddling the BMW with bullets.
The subsequent police work led to the identification and arrest of two suspects: Tristan Murray and Tarell Herbert. Murray was apprehended just a day after the shooting, found in possession of a. 45 caliber handgun that was later ballistically matched to the shell casings recovered at the crime scene. In May 2023, a jury found Murray guilty of second-degree murder, second-degree attempted murder, and two counts of criminal possession of a weapon. He received a sentence of 35 years to life in prison.
His accomplice, Tarell Herbert, was also brought to justice. Following a jury trial, Herbert was convicted in November 2023 of second-degree murder and two counts of second-degree criminal possession of a weapon. In February 2024, a judge sentenced him to 25 years to life in prison for his role in the senseless killing. The sentencing of both men closed a long chapter for the family of Anthony Francis, who was remembered by the Brooklyn District Attorney as a 'beloved son, brother, nephew and cousin.'
