In the afternoon of January 13, 2016, a promising young man named Darnell Kapri Wilkerson, an 18-year-old male, tragically lost his life to gun violence in the East New York section of Brooklyn. The incident occurred around 2:45 p.m. near the intersection of Livonia and Pennsylvania Avenues, in the vicinity of the former Thomas Jefferson High School, from which Wilkerson had recently graduated.
He was at the location to meet his 16-year-old sister, a student at the school.
The senseless act was perpetrated by then 17-year-old Malik Streat, also a resident of East New York. In a brazen act of violence in broad daylight, Streat shot Wilkerson in the head. After Wilkerson fell to the ground, Streat shot him a second time in the head before fleeing the scene. The entire tragic event was captured on surveillance footage from nearby buildings. Law enforcement was able to apprehend Streat a few blocks away from the scene of the crime. Upon his arrest, he was found to be in possession of a. 38 caliber pistol.
Following a jury trial, Malik Streat was convicted of second-degree murder and second-degree criminal possession of a weapon on November 2, 2016. The case was tried before Brooklyn Supreme Court Justice Alexander B. Jeong. On November 21, 2016, Streat was sentenced to 21 years to life in prison for the murder of Darnell Kapri Wilkerson. Acting Brooklyn District Attorney Eric Gonzalez remarked on the tragedy, stating that the senseless act of gun violence had destroyed two families.
