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Teen fatally shot near his home at Brooklyn NYCHA complex, police say
By
Ramsey Khalifeh
Published May 11, 2026
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Photo by Beata Zawrzel/NurPhoto via Getty Images
By
Ramsey Khalifeh
Published May 11, 2026
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An 18-year-old was shot and killed just steps from his home at a Brooklyn public housing development on Sunday afternoon, the NYPD said.
According to police, officers responded to a 911 call shortly after 3 p.m. about someone shot near NYCHA’s Van Dyke complex on Blake Avenue in Brownsville. When they arrived, they found Quahmir Cruz with a gunshot wound to his chest.
Police said the teen was rushed to Brookdale Hospital and was later pronounced dead.
Cruz lived at the Van Dyke complex, according to NYPD officials. They said they are still investigating what led to the shooting and a potential motive.
Police said they had not yet made any arrests in the case as of Monday morning.
NYPD data shows homicides in the 73rd Precinct, which includes Brownsville and Ocean Hill, are at about the same level so far this year as they were at this time last year. Through May 3, there was one homicide recorded in the precinct in each of those two years.
Shootings in the precinct as of that date in 2026 dropped by half compared to the same period last year, the data shows.
This story is based on preliminary information from police and may be updated.
Tagged
brooklyn
brownsville
new york city
public safety
Ramsey Khalifeh
Ramsey Khalifeh is a transportation reporter on the NYC Accountability desk covering the largest transit system in the country. He was previously a general assignment reporter at Gothamist and worked on the Boston Globe's metro and copy desk. Got a tip? Email [email protected]
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Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
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