No Child is Safe in New York City Anymore.
Friday, April 8th proved to be deadly for Bronx high schoolers. At 1:45 pm, two gunmen engaged in a shootout near the South Bronx Educational Campus which houses several schools including University Prep Charter School, Mott Haven Village Preparatory High School, and University Heights Secondary School. Three students, all age 16, were hit by stray bullets with one student succumbing to her injuries immediately.
Angellyh Yambo, 16, was struck in the torso after being dismissed from school. Authorities reportedly performed CPR and chest compressions before declaring her dead at the scene. Angellyh’s mother arrived on the scene not long after the incident occurred, having to be held back and she watched first responders try to resuscitate Angellyh.
The other victims of the shooting were a 16-year-old girl and a 16-year-old boy. The girl was struck in the leg by a stray bullet while the boy was struck in the buttocks. Both teenagers were taken to the hospital and are expected to make a full recovery.
An UberEats delivery driver in the area claims to have seen the suspects prior to the shootout. He told the police that the two men were arguing a block away, shouting obscenities at each other. The delivery driver also said he saw one of the suspects holding a gun. After seeing them argue, he got back onto his bike and rode away only to hear six gunshots and circle back. “The mother was screaming hysterically. The police was holding her back. I felt her pain in her scream. There is nothing stronger than a mother’s scream,” he said.
After the shooting, the suspect allegedly got into a car and fled the scene.
Davids Banks, NYC Schools Chancellor, said the accident was a “despicable act of violence. He also said, “ As a father of four children, I can only imagine the immense pain these families are going through today. These three children join dozens of other students who have been victims of gun violence in our city this year.”
Angellyh Yambo was a straight A-student. Her family called her a “beautiful soul.” Her aunt Margarita Yambo said, “she was one of the sweetest girls you’d ever meet.” Thoughts and prayers have poured onto the internet in the wake of her death.
“She was a girl who went to school and came straight home, She was never in the street,” said her aunt.
“I hope they find these animals. Turn themselves in or I hope the cops get them and they serve a lifetime in jail,” she added.
Angellyh was a big sister to her three younger brothers. Elvia Henriquez, another aunt of Angellyh, has said that her brothers are struggling with the death of their “great big sister.”
Friends of Angellyh are sharing memories of her online, showing pictures of graduation and selfies taken with her over the years. Childhood best friend Hazel Cheeseboro shared, “She always looked at the bright side, never the bad side of anything. That was her.”
Described as a “young woman with a bright future” by NYPD Commissioner Keechant Sewell at a press conference, the 16-year old becomes another victim of the rampant gun violence that has taken over New York City. Just this month, nearly 10 people have been hit and killed by stray bullets across the city, with victims’ ages ranging from 3 years old to 61 years old. 12-year-old Kade Lewin was killed in a parked car with his family when a stray bullet struck him in the head. 36-year-old Jennifer Ynoa was struck by a stray bullet when a gunman opened fire in a Brooklyn bodega and was killed on the scene.
A report by the NYPD showing data for March showed a 36% rise in most major crime categories, including shootings and assaults. The current numbers have surpassed pre-pandemic numbers and are reflective of the danger that New Yorkers face on a daily basis.