Gothamist
A non-profit newsroom, powered by WNYC.
Gothamist
Listen Live
News
Brooklyn Teen Dies After Late Night Scuffle in Prospect Park
By
Billy Parker
Published Mar 8, 2009
Modified Mar 8, 2009
Share
FacebookTwitterRedditEmail
Never miss a story
Email address
By submitting your information, you're agreeing to receive communications from New York Public Radio in accordance with our Terms .
By
Billy Parker
Published Mar 8, 2009
Modified Mar 8, 2009
Share
FacebookTwitterRedditEmail
We rely on your support to make local news available to all
Make your contribution now and help Gothamist thrive in 2026. Donate today
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
A teenager in Prospect Park dropped dead while fleeing the scene of a fight where a gang of teens had upped the ante of a scuffle by showing up with a man twice their age who then got involved. The Daily News reports that 18-year Sharif Abdallah confronted a group of teenagers after they called a female friend of his fat and ugly. A minor confrontation escalated when the gang of mocking teens returned to the park with a man in his 30s or 40s, who put one of Abdallah's friend in a headlock and engaged in what police called "fisticuffs, but nothing serious." As Abdallah ran away from the altercation, he collapsed at the 15th Street exit of the park from what friends believed to be a heart murmur. He was rushed by paramedics to Methodist Hospital, but pronounced dead soon after. Police are still investigating the incident that led to the death of the senior at Xaverian High School. A friend told the News, "He was the funniest kid in the world. He was an artist; he could draw anything in his mind."
Tagged
brooklyn
prospect park
sharif abdallah
teenagers
Billy Parker
Read more
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
MORE news
Are NJ schools unconstitutionally segregated? It's back to the courts to decide.
Mediation didn't resolve the years-old case. A ruling for the plaintiffs could upend how public schooling works in New Jersey.
By
Colleen O'Dea
Published Oct 23, 2026 at 10:00 a.m. ET
Early Addition: New Jersey considering a ban on chewing gum because of microplastics
Because New Jersey is just trying to keep its people safe, here are your early links: Early voters get a spooky sticker, Tom Hanks returning to Broadway, a time capsule letter to the NYC mayor in 2026 and more.
By
James Ramsay
News
Early Addition: New Jersey considering a ban on chewing gum because of microplastics
Because New Jersey is just trying to keep its people safe, here are your early links: Early voters get a spooky sticker, Tom Hanks returning to Broadway, a time capsule letter to the NYC mayor in 2026 and more.
By
James Ramsay
Queens mother charged with murdering her son after failed suicide attempt, NYPD says
By
Brittany Kriegstein
Your guide to voting in New York's 2026 elections for governor and Congress
By
Walter Wuthmann
,
Jon Campbell
and
Brigid Bergin
Forest Hills Stadium can keep its concerts under deal with neighbors
By
Ryan Kost
Never miss a story
Catch up on the most important headlines with a roundup of essential NYC stories, delivered to your inbox daily.
Sign upEmail address
By submitting your information, you're agreeing to receive communications from New York Public Radio in accordance with our Terms .