On May 19, 2016, a 17-year-old male named Ackeem Davis was fatally shot in the chest inside his family's apartment in the Pelham Parkway Houses in the Bronx. At the time of the incident, Davis was with a group of friends, including 19-year-old Steafon Lewis. The group was reportedly 'play fighting' and handling a. 380 caliber revolver that they believed was not loaded.
During the course of their interaction, Lewis pointed the firearm at Davis and pulled the trigger, firing a single,
fatal shot. The event unfolded in the presence of Ackeem's 13-year-old sister and his brother's girlfriend. After the shooting, Lewis placed the gun on a bed and was the one to call 911 for emergency assistance.
Responding to the call, authorities rushed Ackeem Davis to Jacobi Medical Center, where he was pronounced dead. The New York Police Department's violent felony squad took Steafon Lewis into custody for questioning. Lewis maintained that he was unaware the gun was loaded and that the shooting was a tragic accident. He explained that the firearm belonged to Ackeem's brother and that they had been pulling the trigger multiple times, only hearing clicks prior to the fatal discharge.
Following an investigation into the circumstances of the shooting, Steafon Lewis was arrested and subsequently charged with manslaughter and criminal possession of a weapon. A judge set his bail at $250,000 bond or $150,000 cash. The untimely death of Ackeem Davis, a teenager with plans to celebrate his 18th birthday and graduate from high school, sent shockwaves of grief through his family and the community.
