In the early hours of a Thursday in the Bronx, the sound of gunfire shattered the quiet of the morning. On June 29, 2023, at approximately 12:32 a.m., police responded to a 911 call reporting shots fired at the intersection of East 213th Street and Holland Avenue in the Williamsbridge section. Upon arrival, they discovered a 34-year-old man with a gunshot wound to his leg.
He was transported to NYC Health + Hospitals/Jacobi and was listed in stable condition.
Further investigation revealed a second victim, 26-year-old Justin Rodriguez, a male resident of the Bronx. Rodriguez had been privately transported to Montefiore Medical Center with gunshot wounds to his chest and shoulder. Despite medical efforts, he was pronounced deceased at the hospital. The incident was one of multiple fatal shootings that marked a violent start to the summer in New York City. In the days that followed, a vigil being held for Rodriguez was tragically interrupted by another shooting, which resulted in a 5-year-old girl being injured.
For months, the investigation into Rodriguez's death continued. Then, on Monday, October 16, 2023, an arrest was made in the case. Marquel Brown, a 27-year-old male from Meriden, Connecticut, was taken into custody within the confines of the 47th Precinct. Brown has been charged with murder, manslaughter, and criminal possession of a weapon. The investigation into the shooting remains ongoing.
