A shooting in Staten Island that killed a 15-year-old boy earlier this month has been deemed a homicide, cops said Tuesday.
According to authorities, police responded to a 911 call of a male shot inside a home near Thompson Street and Bay Street at around 11:55 p.m. on Feb. 16. Upon arrival, police found the young man — whom they identified Tuesday as Steven Estevez — with a gunshot wound to his head.
EMS transported the boy to Richmond University Medical Center, where he succumbed to his injuries.
Pursuant to an ongoing investigation, the boy’s 17-year-old brother was arrested on Feb. 17 and charged with felony counts of criminal possession of a loaded firearm and assault, and a misdemeanor count of criminal possession of a weapon.
It remains unclear whether or not charges will be upped now that the victim has died and the incident has been deemed a homicide.
Estevez was a Ralph R. McKee High School student and a member of the McKee-Staten Island Technical High School junior varsity football team, according to the Staten Island Advance, which also reported that the 17-year-old suspect is being represented in court by the Legal Aid Society.
Reported shootings remain scarce in Staten Island, according to Police Department data. So far this year, there were just three reported shootings in the entire borough as of Feb. 19, when the most recent data is available — one of them in the 120th Precinct, where Estevez was killed. However, reports of robbery, burglary and felony assault are all on the rise, according to the data.
Citywide, shootings also remain down when compared to last year.
