On the tragic evening of February 14, 2026, a 30-year-old Black / African American man named Sheriff Shittu was fatally shot in Brooklyn, New York. An aspiring fashion designer who had immigrated to the United States from Nigeria in 2018, Shittu was celebrating a friend's birthday with his younger brother, Fawaz, at the Quilox Lounge in East Flatbush.
The night took a dark turn when another patron, who was reportedly intoxicated, began inappropriately touching women, including Shittu's girlfriend.
Sheriff Shittu intervened, leading to an altercation with the man. Disturbed by the incident, Shittu and his brother decided to leave the nightclub. However, upon realizing he had left his cell phone behind, they returned to the venue. As they re-entered, the disruptive patron was being escorted out by security. The club's owner attempted to reassure the brothers, but moments later, the man being ejected brandished a firearm and shot Shittu in the head. The assailant, last seen wearing a black jacket and white trousers, fled the scene and remains at large.
Emergency services rushed Shittu to Brookdale University Hospital and Medical Centre, where he was pronounced dead. His family, who described him as a kind and outgoing man dedicated to his fashion brand, Riff Ent, was plunged into grief. The tragedy was compounded by the fact that his mother was scheduled to arrive from Nigeria for a visit the very next day. She was informed of her son's death upon her arrival in the United States.
The New York City Police Department has launched a manhunt for the killer and is actively investigating the homicide. As of late February 2026, no arrests have been made. Shittu's family has been vocal in their calls for justice and has questioned the security measures at the Quilox Lounge that allowed a patron to enter with a firearm. The Nigerian community in New York has mourned his loss, remembering him as a promising young man with dreams of making a mark in the fashion industry.
