16-year-old fatally shot a day after celebrating his birthday

Authorities believe that the shooting that killed Justin Richey could be part of a gang-related attack.

A 16-year-old youth from Brooklyn, NY was attacked and shot on Sunday evening, July 15, 2018, in what was believed to be gang-related violence, as reported by CBS New York.

The victim, identified to be Justin Richey, is said to have been shot five times. The police found him about a block away from the alleged site of the incident and rushed him to the hospital.

He was pronounced dead on arrival at the Brookdale University Hospital. Read more about the Justin Richey case on our Twitter account @amomama_usa.

Witness reports vary, as some state that he was jumped, while some say that he was part of an argument. 

Richey tried to escape and managed to run about a block away before collapsing. The story of his death became more distressing since Richey had celebrated his 16th birthday just one day before the fatal incident.

While Richey himself was not a part of any gangs in the neighborhood, it is believed that he has a brother who was involved in such activities. However, the reason for targeting Richey is not known as of now.

Witness reports mention that the shooter was wearing a red shirt and grey sweatpants, and he was last seen running off towards the Cypress Hills Houses.

Friends of the victim say that he was a clean, hard-working youth, who did a lot of odd jobs in the neighborhood to support his family.

He may have been finishing up a cleaning job just before the attack. To show support for the victim, his friends lit candles outside his apartment complex in Fountain Ave building on Sunday night.