On the evening of May 18, 2013, Daja Naquai Asia Robinson, a 14-year-old Black female, was a passenger on a Q6 city bus in Queens, New York. She had just left a friend's Sweet Sixteen party and was on her way to another birthday celebration. As the bus traveled along Sutphin Boulevard in the South Jamaica neighborhood, gunfire erupted outside. At least nine shots were fired toward the vehicle, and one of the bullets pierced a window, striking Daja in the temple.
She was rushed to Jamaica Hospital, where she was pronounced dead.
Investigators quickly determined that Daja was not the intended target of the shooting. The violence was gang-related, with the gunman aiming for another teenage girl on the bus. This other girl was allegedly associated with a rival gang and had posted derogatory comments on social media. Daja, an honors student at Campus Magnet High School, was remembered by friends and family as a cheerful and popular girl with a passion for fashion, and was an innocent victim caught in the crossfire. The senselessness of her death sparked outrage and profound grief within her community.
The investigation led police to two individuals. The first suspect, Kevin McClinton, then 21, was identified as the shooter. He was a member of the Snow gang, and the intended target was reportedly linked to the rival EBK crew. After a manhunt, McClinton was captured in South Carolina and extradited back to New York. A second assailant, Shamel Capers, who was 15 at the time of the shooting, was also arrested. Prosecutors stated that Capers first fired shots into the bus before McClinton took the gun and fired more rounds.
Both men were brought to justice for their roles in Daja's death. In May 2016, Kevin McClinton was convicted of murder and criminal possession of a weapon. He was later sentenced to 40 years to life in prison. During his sentencing, the judge noted the callousness of the act, questioning, "Who fires a gun into a city bus mostly filled with young girls?" In June 2017, Shamel Capers was also found guilty of second-degree murder and criminal possession of a weapon. He was sentenced to 15 years to life in prison, bringing a measure of closure to Daja's family, who had endured a devastating and public loss.
