In the early hours of April 1, 2023, Kimberly Midgette, a 44-year-old female elementary school teacher from the Bronx, was in Hempstead, New York, to drop off her daughter. At approximately 1:30 a.m., while Midgette and a friend were seated in her car on Polk Avenue, another vehicle, a stolen Honda, pulled alongside. Gunfire erupted from the second car, striking Midgette and her friend. In the backseat, Midgette's 10-year-old daughter was unharmed. Midgette sustained critical injuries and succumbed to them three days later, on April 4, 2023. Her friend was treated for her injuries and released from the hospital.
Investigators quickly determined that the shooting was a case of mistaken identity. They believe the assailants were targeting someone else in retaliation for a previous shooting and that Midgette was an unintended victim who had just happened to pull up at the wrong moment. The investigation into the senseless killing led to the arrests of three individuals.
In November 2023, authorities arrested 27-year-old Oumar Barry of Hempstead and a 16-year-old male. Both were charged with second-degree murder. Barry was identified by prosecutors as an alleged leader of the Blood Hound Brims street gang. Following these arrests, a third suspect, 20-year-old Milton Allen of West Hempstead, was taken into custody in January 2024 and also charged with second-degree murder.
All three suspects have been arraigned and have pleaded not guilty to the charges against them. Barry was also indicted on charges of attempted murder, assault, and criminal possession of a weapon. The cases against the individuals are proceeding through the court system, with prosecutors asserting that the shooting was part of a larger wave of gang-related violence. The teenage suspect's case is being handled in Youth Part, and his identity has not been publicly released due to his age.
