In the late hours of August 28, 2015, a violent encounter inside a Brooklyn hookah lounge brought a tragic end to the life of 27-year-old Chrispine Phillips, a Black male. The setting was the Buda Hookah Lounge on Flatbush Avenue in the Prospect-Lefferts Gardens neighborhood, where Phillips was present among other patrons. The lively atmosphere of the lounge was shattered when a gunman opened fire, specifically targeting Phillips.
The assailant was later identified as Larry Pagett, a
leader of the notorious Eight Trey Crips street gang. Believing Phillips, also known as "Droppa," to be a member of the rival Folk Nation gang, Pagett sought retribution for the earlier death of a fellow gang member in Trinidad. Surveillance footage from inside the lounge captured the brutal attack, showing Pagett shooting Phillips multiple times as he tried to flee, culminating in a final, fatal shot to the back of the head. The chaotic scene also resulted in injury to an innocent bystander, who was struck by a stray bullet but survived.
The investigation into Chrispine Phillips' murder led to the arrest of Larry Pagett. In June 2017, he was charged with murder in-aid-of racketeering. His trial concluded in October 2018, with a federal jury convicting him of the crime. Subsequently, Pagett was sentenced to life in prison for the execution-style killing. The motive, as established by prosecutors, was to elevate his status within the Eight Trey Crips by eliminating a perceived rival. The conviction and sentencing brought a measure of justice for the senseless violence that claimed a young man's life and endangered many others.
