In the light of a Tuesday afternoon in Williamsburg, Brooklyn, a young life was abruptly cut short in a shocking act of violence. Joharis Rivas, a 21-year-old man, had just pulled up in his black BMW to an auto repair shop on Meserole Street on March 11, 2025. As he was getting out of his vehicle, a figure dressed in all black, with his face obscured by a mask, approached on a scooter or e-bike.
After a brief moment of eye contact, the assailant fired a single, fatal shot, striking Rivas in the head before quickly fleeing the scene.
Emergency responders arrived to find the young man unresponsive. He was rushed to NYC Health + Hospitals/Elmhurst, but his injuries were too severe, and he was pronounced dead. The brazen daytime shooting, which occurred just a block from the 90th Precinct stationhouse, marked the first homicide of the year in that part of Williamsburg. Friends and family were left to mourn the loss of Rivas, who was a father to three young daughters. A woman identified as his girlfriend was seen grieving at the scene as detectives began their investigation.
For months, the shooter remained at large, leaving a community on edge and a family seeking justice. The New York Police Department appealed to the public for any information that could lead to an arrest. Then, on June 10, 2025, a breakthrough was made. Authorities took 18-year-old Edilve Chavez, a resident of Williamsburg, into custody. He was subsequently charged with murder and criminal possession of a weapon in connection with the death of Joharis Rivas. Prosecutors later revealed that Chavez had told investigators he had only intended to shoot Rivas in the arm. Following his arrest, Chavez was held without bail as the legal proceedings against him commenced.
