Family says man killed in Yonkers shooting just celebrated his 21st birthday

Updated 1 hour ago
YONKERS, Westchester County (WABC) -- A Virginia family is mourning the death of 21-year-old Brandon Garcia, who was killed in a shooting Sunday night in Yonkers that left four other people injured.

Police said five people were shot. The suspect and the four surviving victims are all teenagers. Authorities have said the shooting was targeted.

"It wasn't fair that we lost our son. He was at the wrong place at the wrong time," Carlos Garcia, Brandon's father, said. "He was a good kid."

Carlos and Rosa Garcia became Brandon's foster parents when he was 4, legally adopted him when he was 6 and moved to Virginia five years ago. Brandon turned 21 last week and had returned to Yonkers to spend time with his biological mother, as he had done over the years.

Rosa Garcia described what she said she learned about the moments leading up to the shooting.



"Brandon went to the store and got something to drink, and all of a sudden he was talking to his friend. And when he turned around, all he heard was gunshots. The girl said she heard the gunshots and saw Brandon when he went down," she said.

While it remains unclear whether Brandon Garcia knew the teenagers who were shot, his family said he was not involved in any gang activity.

"It's not gang related. No, my son was not gang related. He had good friends. My son was never like that, he's a sweet boy," Rosa Garcia said. "We raised him the right way."

The family has started a GoFundMe page to help cover funeral expenses.

Meanwhile, a 15-year-old is facing murder and attempted murder charges in connection with the shooting.



Carlos Garcia said he wants accountability in the case and called for action to address gun violence.

"There has to be justice, somebody's gotta do something, you know, take these guns off the street," he said. "Everybody has a gun: 15, 12 years old. It's the reason we went to Virginia to get my son away from here."

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