Kyhara Tay Dies from Stray Bullet Shooting…

11-year-old Kyhara Tay was struck by stray gunfire in the Bronx on Monday, May 16th. The shooting reportedly occurred in the afternoon while Tay was on her way to visit family and friends. According to reports, she was not the intended target of the gunfire, but instead was the victim of a stray bullet. Tay was taken to Lincoln Hospital in critical condition and unfortunately succumbed to her injuries. According to the police, the shooter was on a moped and pulled the trigger intending to shoot his target, who was a man a distance away. The supposed target of the shooting was half a block away, running away from the gunfire.  

According to police who are in possession of video footage of the shooting, the incident took place on Fox Street near Westchester Avenue. Kyhara Tay was walking on that street while the shooter was half a block away. The shooter has not been identified and a motive for the shooting has not been determined. Deputy Chief Timothy McCormack, who leads the detectives in the Bronx, emphasized that identifying the moped scooter and the person riding it would be a monumental task but one the police would carry out effectively. “… we will track it down, and we will chase the scooter as far as it goes,” he said. A reward of up to $10,000 is being offered by the police to anyone with information that may help solve the case.  

More Insights on the shooting …

“This is very, very difficult for us to accept,” McCormack said. Kyhara was the daughter of a father from Cambodia and a mother from Puerto Rico, referring to herself proudly as “Camborican.” Her family and friends set up a memorial of flowers and balloons to honor her life outside a salon close to where she died. Community leaders were also present at the memorial with Public Advocate Jumaane Williams and Bronx Borough President Vanessa Gibson offering Tay’s family support. The little girl’s father, Sokpini Tay, said heartbreakingly as he mourned his daughter, “If my daughter knew who did it, she would have said it, please have mercy for us, please! Don’t forget us please! Don’t forget our baby, please! I am never going to touch or see her again, man! I am going to be living in pain [for] the rest of my life! I want that person to suffer in pain!” 

This is the second time a child has fallen victim to stray gunfire in the Bronx. Earlier this year an 11-month-old baby was struck by a bullet that left her in critical condition. She however managed to recover from her wounds. New York has seen high rates of crime with shootings occurring regularly despite the fact the NYPD has deployed an anti-gun unit. These shootings have affected the innocent children of the city, with most of the inflicted with gunshot wounds not meant for them. According to statistics from January to April, at least 40 children and teenagers had been shot this year. These numbers imply that last year’s number of 138 shootings will be surpassed. Mayor Eric Adams has received criticism from several quarters for seemingly failing to draw up an effective plan to reduce the crime rate significantly.