Mom Slain at Rapper Shrine (81st Precinct)

By Tim Perone
NY Post 3/31/08

A Brooklyn mother of three, walking by a makeshift memorial for a popular local rapper, was killed last night by a stray bullet fired by a mourner, relatives and officials said.

The woman, identified by family members as Nancy Williams, 27, was pronounced dead at Woodhull Hospital about 40 minutes after the 6 p.m. shooting in a playground area behind her Gates Avenue building in Bedford-Stuyvesant.

Police said Williams, who was headed to a grocery store, walked into an area where fans had gathered at a memorial to Leval Lyde, 36 - a hip-hop performer known as Cavlar - who was gunned down in a fight that erupted on his way to meet a music promoter.

Full story here.

******
NYPD Report:

ON SUNDAY 3/30/08 AT APPROXIMATELY 1805 HRS, IN THE REAR OF 730 GATES AVENUE, IN THE CONFINES OF THE 81 PRECINCT, POLICE RESPONDED TO A CALL OF A FEMALE SHOT. UPON ARRIVAL POLICE FOUND A F/B/27 WITH A GUNSHOT WOUND TO THE CHEST. THE VICTIM WAS TRANSPORTED TO WOODHULL HOSPITAL WHERE SHE WAS PRONOUNCED AT 1848 HOURS. THERE ARE NO ARRESTS AT THIS TIME, THE INVESTIGATION IS ONGOING.

THE D.O.A. HAS BEEN IDENTIFIED AS:

NANCY WILLIAMS F/B/27
740 GATES AVE. 1D

(Stuyvesant Gardens, a NYCHA development)

Teen hunted in stabbing at Brooklyn high school

By Jonathan Lemire
NY Daily News 3/30/08

Cops are hunting for an 18-year-old student who repeatedly stabbed a classmate inside a Brooklyn high school, police said Saturday.

Kykle Owens, an honor student at Paul Robeson Hight School, remained in critical condition at Kings County Hospital Saturday, a day after he was attacked while walking out of the school's cafeteria.

Owens, 18, was revived by quick-thinking basketball coach Todd Myles before emergency crews could attend to the injured senior, who is nicknamed Pumpkin.

Full story here.

Murder, Nostrand & Ave. D (67th Precinct)

ON 3-29-08 AT APPROX 0430 HOURS IN FRONT OF 1830 NOSTRAND AVE IN THE CONFINES OF THE 67 PCT A M/B/28 WAS SHOT 2X IN THE TORSO BY UNK PERSONS. THE VICTIM WAS TAKEN TO KINGS COUNTY HOSPITAL AND PRONOUNCED DOA AT 0458 HRS. THE INVESTIGATION IS ONGOING. THERE ARE NO ARRESTS AT THIS TIME.

DOA:
ELIJAH JEFFERSON, M/B/28
605 LOUISIANA AVE., APT.14C

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Man killed in shooting near Brooklyn councilman's club

BY TANANGACHI MFUNI and JONATHAN LEMIRE
NY Daily News Sunday 3/30/08

A 28-year-old man was shot to death early Saturday after getting into a fight with men who had been partying at a club owned by a city councilman, police and witnesses said.

Elijah Jefferson of Starett City was shot twice in the chest about 4:30 a.m. at Nostrand Ave. and Avenue D, a block from Cafe Omar, police said.

The Caribbean-themed club is in a building owned by Councilman Kendall Stewart (D-Flatbush), according to city property records. The venue was hosting a "Sexy Can I/Bright Colors" party overnight.

Full story here.

Teen and infant MISSING in Crown Heights

THE POLICE ARE ASKING FOR THE PUBLIC'S ASSISTANCE IN LOCATING THE FOLLOWING INDIVIDUALS THAT HAVE BEEN REPORTED MISSING (MOTHER AND DAUGHTER):

KIMBERLY GEORGE F/B/16

KAILY GEORGE F/B/6-MOS

ON 03/26/08 AT APPROXIMATELY 0730 HRS THE MISSING FEMALES WERE LAST SEEN LEAVING THEIR RESIDENT (480 LEFFERTS AVENUE #3G), WITHIN THE CONFINES OF THE 71 PRECINCT.

THE MISSING FEMALES ARE DESCRIBED AS FOLLOWS:

F/B/16

5'6"

135 LBS

BLACK HAIR

BROWN EYES

F/B/6-MOS

18"-LONG (APPROX)

14 LBS.

ANYONE WITH INFORMATION IS ASKED TO CONTACT CRIMESTOPPERS AT 1(800)577-TIPS. ALL CALLS WILL BE KEPT CONFIDENTIAL.

Stabbing at Paul Robeson High (77th Precinct)

ON FRIDAY 3/28/08 AT APPROX, 1235 HRS WITHIN THE CONFINES OF THE 77 PCT. POLICE RESPONDED TO 150 ALBANY AVE (PAUL ROBESON HS) TO INVESTIGATE A REPORT OF A MALE STABBED. UPON ARRIVAL POLICE DISCOVERED THE VICTIM M/B/18 WITH A STAB WOUND TO THE NECK AND ABDOMEN. VICTIM REMOVED TO KCH IN CRITICAL CONDITION. NO ARREST. INVESTIGATION IS ON GOING.

-----

From NY1:

An 18-year-old high school student is in critical condition after being stabbed multiple times by another student at his Brooklyn high school.

Education officials say the incident happened around 12:45 p.m. today at a stairwell in the basement, next to the gym of Paul Robeson High School in Bedford-Stuyvesant. The two fought in the lower level hallway, before the young man was stabbed, according to police.

The victim was taken to Kings County Hospital in critical condition.

"And the cuts on his neck were looking real bad, there was a lot of blood pouring out, and they had him on an oxygen mask, and everyone's doing CPR on him, so I don't know if he died," said a student.

"Everybody was crying. Everybody was upset this was happening," said student Jelani Hayward.

The school was placed in lockdown from 1 p.m. to 2:45 p.m., when the students were dismissed one floor at a time, and police opened up the streets around the stories.

"Where were the security guards at the door, when they let somebody in here to come commit this crime?" said a parent. "It's ridiculous, I'm tired of it, and I don't know if my child will ever be back to this school."

Cell phones are banned in city schools. But one father said he rushed to Robeson after his son called him to tell what happened.

Students told NY1 that the building has so many doors that can sneak in cell phones and sometimes even weapons make it inside.

Police will not release the name of the suspect in the stabbing.

The Department of Education said a crisis team was sent to the school to help out kids who were traumatized by the sudden violence and that team will be there again when the school begins on Monday.

This is the second Brooklyn high school lockdown in as many days, after John Dewey High School in Gravesend was closed for two hours yesterday after a teacher reported seeing a student with a weapon.

UPDATE: The Murder of Leval Lyde

More on the killing of Leval Lyde, aka Cavlar.

Photo is from The Kyss Connection.

Click here for Cavlar's MySpace Page

From NY Post:

RAPPER KILLED IN BROOKLYN

By JOHN DOYLE and LARRY CELONA

March 26, 2008 -- Ex-con rapper Cavlar, who had just begun to claw his way to success with his own music and "Step Up Your Game" DVDs featuring big-name stars, was gunned down yesterday on a Brooklyn street as he stepped out of his Jaguar to meet a promoter.

The rapper and father of three, whose real name is Leval Lyde, was hit by a single shot to the chest on Fulton Street at 4:49 a.m. as his cousin watched in horror.

The shooting came after Lyde, 36, argued with the gunman and two of the killer's pals - all of whom fled.

"I saw a lady running [and] came outside and she said, 'They're killing each over there!' " said store owner Amilcar Salvador, 40.

An uncle, Clarence Lamb, was stunned at the "senseless death."

"Young people killing each other . . . is fruitless," he said. "It's crazy, just crazy."

Police were looking into whether the bloodshed might have been rap-related.

Full story here.

Murder on Fulton Street (88th Precinct)

On Tuesday, 03-25-2008 at approximately 1649 hours Police responded to 911 calls for a person shot in front of 907 Fulton Street, in the confines of the 88 Precinct. Upon their arrival Police found a M/B/36 with a gunshot wound to the torso. The victim was removed to Brooklyn Hospital where he was pronounced DOA at 1732. There is no arrest and the investigation is ongoing.

***UPDATE***

DOA: LEVAL LYDE, M/B/36 (FAMILY NOTIFIED)

720 GATES AVE

------------------------

From NY Daily News:

Rapper is killed outside eatery

By KERRY BURKE and ETHAN ROUEN
NY DAILY NEWS Wed. 3/26/08

An aspiring rapper was shot to death as he walked out of a Brooklyn seafood restaurant Tuesday, cops and relatives said.

Leval (Cevlar) Lyde, 36, was leaving Fish & Crustaceans Quality Seafood in Fort Greene with a whiting sandwich in hand about 5 p.m.

As he approached the maroon Jaguar owned by the mother of his child, he was hit with a single shot, witnesses said.

"He fell right in front of me," said Charles Kearny, 48, co-owner of the restaurant, who added that Lyde was a regular customer.

Lyde died at Brooklyn Hospital Center.

WANTED for Murder: Jason Matthias

From the 3/22/08 NY Post NYPD Blotter:

Police are asking for the public's assistance in finding the man pictured above, wanted in connection with a murder in Brownsville.

Jason Matthias, 24, allegedly shot 27-year-old Carl Brown in the head on East 98th Street near Legion Street at 4:39 a.m. on Feb. 16, cops said.

Brown, of Bristol Street, was pronounced dead at the scene.

WANTED for Murder: Daniel Brown

An update in the murder of Robert Morgan of 750 Rockaway Ave., who was shot to death on March 14, 2008 (details here).

Police have released a photo and description of the following suspect:

DANIEL BROWN, M/B/27

2678 LINDEN BLVD, LAST KNOWN ADDRESS (PINK HOUSES)

HE IS DESCRIBED AS BEING 5'6" TALL, APPROX 160 LBS, WITH SHORT BLACK HAIR, BROWN EYES AND CLEAR COMPLEXION.

ANYONE WITH ANY INFORMATION AS TO THE WHEREABOUTS OF THIS SUSPECT IS ASKED TO CALL THE NYPD'S CRIMESTOPPERS HOTLINE AT 800-577-TIPS. ALL CALLS WILL BE KEPT CONFIDENTIAL.

WANTED for Murder: Raheem Edwards

From NY1:

Police were searching Saturday for a Brooklyn murder suspect connected to an elevator shooting.

Raheem Edwards, 26, of Brooklyn is wanted in connection with a deadly shooting on March 6.

Police say Fednard Dickson was found in the elevator of 512 Stone Avenue, with a gunshot wound to the head.

Edwards is described as being 5’6” and 180 pounds, with short black hair, brown eyes and a clear complexion.

******
Additional info from NYPD:

644 SARATOGA AVE IS LAST KNOWN ADDRESS

ANYONE WITH ANY INFORMATION AS TO THE WHEREABOUTS OF THIS SUSPECT IS ASKED TO CALL THE NYPD'S CRIMESTOPPERS HOTLINE AT 800-577-TIPS. ALL CALLS WILL BE KEPT CONFIDENTIAL.

WANTED in Murder Case: Daniel Floyd

An update on the case of Leon Green, who was murdered on Eastern Parkway on March 9, 2008 (details here).

The NYPD has released a photo and description of a suspect:

DANIEL FLOYD, M/B/17

602 MAPLE ST, APT 5 (LAST KNOWN ADDRESS)

HE IS DESCRIBED AS BEING 6'1" TALL, APPROX 180 LBS, WITH SHORT BLACK HAIR, BROWN EYES AND CLEAR COMPLEXION.

ANYONE WITH ANY INFORMATION AS TO THE WHEREABOUTS OF THIS SUSPECT IS ASKED TO CALL THE NYPD'S CRIMESTOPPERS HOTLINE AT 800-577-TIPS. ALL CALLS WILL BE KEPT CONFIDENTIAL.

Rapist CAUGHT

NYPD has announced the arrest of a suspect in the 2 recent rapes in the Van Dyke Houses:

THOMAS BOKER, M/B/29

393 JEROME STREET, APT 6


UPDATE:

Police nab Brooklyn rape suspect

BY DORIAN BLOCK and ALISON GENDAR
NY DAILY NEWS Saturday, 3/22/08

A suspected serial rapist was busted Friday after cops lifted his fingerprints from a windowsill of a Brooklyn housing complex, police said.

Those prints matched Thomas Boker, a 29-year-old with a record of guns and drug sales, police said.

Boker was arrested at a girlfriend's apartment in East New York.

"Finally, justice is going to be done," said the older sister of a 19-year-old woman raped early Thursday morning in a stairwell of the Van Dyke Houses in Brownsville.

Boker's fingerprints were found on a window in a stairwell where the 19-year-old victim said she was attacked.

Police believe Boker not only attacked the teen but raped a 30-year-old woman at knifepoint March 6 in the same Brooklyn complex.

The first victim picked Boker out of a lineup, sources said.

DNA recovered in the first assault also matched DNA evidence taken in a series of 2006 livery cab robberies in which Boker was a suspect.

Police are also investigating whether Boker is the same man who has been stalking and harassing women in the neighborhood over the past month.

While in custody Friday, Boker lost control and started banging his head against the wall, police said. He was taken to the hospital last night.

Full story here.

Double shooting, one dead on Westbury Court (71st Precinct)

ON FRIDAY 3-21-2008 AT APPROXIMATELY 0010 HOURS I/S/O 2100 WESTBURY COURT, CONFINES OF THE 71 PCT, POLICE RESPONDED TO A CALL OF SHOTS FIRED. UPON ARRIVAL, POLICE DISCOVERED TWO (2) MALES WITH GSWs ABOUT THE BODY. THERE ARE NO ARRESTS AT THIS TIME. THE INVESTIGATION IS ONGOING.

VICTIM # 1 -
M/B/30 - SHOT 1X TO THE HEAD. HE WAS TRANSPORTED TO KCH WHERE HE PRONOUNCED DOA AT APPROXIMATELY 0100 HRS. THE IDENTITY OF THE DOA IS PENDING FAMILY NOTIFICATION.

VICTIM # 2 -
M/B/22 - SHOT 1X TO THE CHEST AND 1X TO THE LEG. HE WAS TRANSPORTED TO KCH WHERE HE IS IN STABLE CONDITION.

WANTED for rape (73rd Precinct)

NYPD report about today's rape at 414 Sutter Ave. in the Van Dyke Houses

ON THURSDAY 3-20-2008 AT 0015 HRS , POLICE RESPONDED TO A CALL OF A SEXUAL ASSAULT IN THE VICINITY OF SACKMAN ST AND SUTTER AVE WITHIN THE CONFINES OF THE 73 PCT. UPON ARRIVAL, POLICE WERE MET BY A F/H/19 WHO STATED THAT SHE WAS EXITING THE ELEVATOR AND WAS ACCOSTED BY A M/B WHO DISPLAYED A KNIFE. THE SUSPECT FORCED THE VICTIM TO THE ROOF OF THE LOCATION AND SEXUALLY ASSAULTED THE VICTIM. THE VICTIM WAS TAKEN TO AND TREATED AT AN AREA HOSPITAL. THE INVESTIGATION IS ONGOING.

NYPD DETECTIVES ARE SEEKING THE PUBLIC'S ASSISTANCE IN IDENTIFYING THE INDIVIDUAL DEPICTED IN THE PHOTO, WHO IS WANTED FOR QUESTIONING IN REGARDS TO THE ABOVE INCIDENT:

SUSPECT: M/B DREAD LOCK, PONY TAIL '7" WEARING A GRAY HOODIE, BLACK VEST, BLUE JEANS AND A DARK HAT

ANYONE WITH INFORMATION REGARDING THE IDENTITY OF THIS INDIVIDUAL SHOULD CALL THE NYPD'S CRIME STOPPERS HOTLINE AT (800) 577 - TIPS. ALL CALLS WILL BE KEPT STRICTLY CONFIDENTIAL.

UPDATE -- REWARD

NYPD IS OFFERING A REWARD IN THE AMOUNT OF $10,000 FOR INFORMATION LEADING TO THE ARREST AND CONVICTION OF THE PERSON RESPONSIBLE FOR THIS CRIME. CRIME STOPPERS WILL PAY UP TO $2,000 FOR INFORMATION THAT LEADS TO THE ARREST AND INDICTMENT OF THE PERSON RESPONSIBLE FOR THIS CRIME.

Another rape in Van Dyke Houses

From WCBS TV― The NYPD is investigating a possible sexual assault at a Brooklyn housing complex. This is the second incident inside the Brownsville complex this month.

Members of the police department are under fire for missing the first attack, despite the more than 200 security cameras stationed around the complex.

The latest attack in the Van Dyke housing complex has people on edge. At 1:30 a.m. Thursday, a woman was sexually assaulted at 414 Sutter Avenue. Her attacker is described as 5 feet 7 inches tall, wearing a grey hoodie, blue jeans, dark boots and dark hat. The suspect escaped from the roof of the building.

Earlier this month in the same housing complex, a man was caught on surveillance cameras following a woman off the elevator. The suspect then forced her into a stairwell at knife-point and raped her. Police have released a sketch of the suspect.

Two police officers, who said they patrolled the stairwells after the first attack, were stripped of their guns and badges and face disciplinary action for allegedly lying about looking for the rapist. Cameras showed they did not perform a sweep of the building.

Police do not know if the two incidents are connected, but hope one of the building's more than 200 surveillance cameras will help lead them to identifying a suspect in this second attack.

WANTED for rape (73rd Precinct)

Police are still asking for the public's help in identifying the rapist who assaulted a woman in the Van Dyke Houses on March 6.

In addition to the initial sketch, the NYPD has released surveillance photos and video of the suspect. Anyone with information should contact the NYPD Crimestoppers hotline at 800-577-TIPS. All calls are kept strictly confidential.

Safety Alert: Prospect Heights Burglaries

From the Brooklynian.com Prospect Heights Forum:

Sterling 2000: Yesterday afternoon [Thursday 3/13/08] there was an attempted burglary in our building on Sterling Place (btwn. Washington & Underhill). The perps entered via an alley fire escape and broken window security gate, only to be surprised by the owner arriving home and opening the door. The perps fled via said window, fire escape and alley path and the authorities were called.

I felt this worth reporting to the group as there have been other alleyway and fire escape enabled shenanigans lately. Play it smart -- keep your windows closed and yer eyes open.

Dee Dee: Sounds like the same perps that just burglarized an apartment in my building on Park Place between Flatbush and Vanderbilt. They came in through the fire escape on the alley side of the building at about 9am on weekday and made off with a computer and I-Pod. Local detectives said that there have been a rash of these kinds of burglaries in the area. They suspect a group of teenage boys. So, make sure all of your windows are secure and keep your eyes open.

UPDATE on the Murder of Carol Simon-Hayes

Police report another arrest in the murder of Carol Simon-Hayes, who was killed by stray gunfire outside her home on Eastern Parkway in December 2007.

2nd suspect in stray-bullet slaying of nurse arrested at gang funeral

BY ALISON GENDAR and MICHAEL WHITE
NY DAILY NEWS 3/17/08

Detectives have arrested a second shooter in the stray-bullet death of a Brooklyn nurse last year, police sources said.

Humberto Benjamin had eluded capture since 35-year-old Carol Simon was shot down near her Eastern Parkway home on Dec. 15, as her young son waited in the family's SUV to go for a swimming lesson.

But police were waiting for Benjamin last Wednesday after snitches told investigators he would likely show up at a funeral for a gang member in Brooklyn.

"My bullets didn't kill the lady!" Benjamin cried as detectives picked him up at the services, a police source said.

He was charged with murder. A grand jury is set to hear the case in Brooklyn Criminal Court today.

Full story here.

Information on the arrest of another suspect, Darius Dubarry, is here and here.

Crow Hill Community Association Meeting

Tuesday, (3/18/08) at 7:30 PM
Haitian-American Daycare Center
1491 Bedford Ave. (corner of Bedford & St. John's)

Teen Murdered in Crown Heights (77th Precinct)

ON SUNDAY, MARCH 16, 2008, AT APPROXIMATELY 0021 HOURS, IN FRONT OF 1453 PROSPECT PLACE, IN THE CONFINES OF THE 077 PRECINCT, POLICE RESPONDED TO A REPORT OF A MALE SHOT. UPON ARRIVAL THEY FOUND THE VICTIM, A M/B/18 SHOT ONCE TO THE HEAD AND ONCE TO THE TORSO. THE VICTIM WAS PRONOUNCED AT THE SCENE. THERE ARE NO ARRESTS AT THIS TIME, THE INVESTIGATION IS ONGOING.

VICTIM:

TYRICK HILL, M/B/18
1453 PROSPECT PLACE, APT 2H