Police: Video shows suspects in Brooklyn teen's murder; Dad speaks

ByEyewitness News WABC logo
Thursday, June 2, 2016
Outpouring of emotion at vigil for teen killed while babysitting
Josh Einiger has the story.

EAST FLATBUSH, Brooklyn (WABC) -- Emotion poured out tonight at a candlelight vigil for a 16-year-old girl shot to death in Brooklyn.

Her father came to call for justice at a street side press conference. He couldn't bring himself to speak.

And as Dexter Mercurius wailed in the background, and for what seemed like an eternity no one else uttered a word. One city council member was moved to tears.

"As we can see, this is a very traumatic day in this community. When I think of this young lady I think of myself," said Laurie Cumbo, (D) NYC Council.

Authorities say a young man and a young woman were initially seen getting into the elevator of the building on Brooklyn Avenue in East Flatbush together, but for unknown reasons, the male got off on the floor below the shooting while the female got off on the sixth floor, where the victim lives.

The young man then climbed the stairs and emerged on the sixth floor, where the victim, Shemel, was seen in her doorway. When the young man emerged from the stairwell, she closed the door.

The male suspect, apparently holding a gun or a rifle, then pushed his way into the apartment, with the young woman following behind him. After the shooting, the pair fled the building, possibly down the fire escape. It all happened around 6 p.m.

Mercurius, a student at Edward R. Murrow High School, was rushed to Kings County Hospital, where she was pronounced dead. She was reportedly semi-conscious when EMS arrived and was able to say the name of a male to police. Her 3-year-old cousin was not injured.

"I said what happened? He said, 'Shamel died.' I said, 'How?' 'A man take the gun and go pow,'" said Latoya Pryce, Shemel's aunt.

"What do you say to this family, because we are all going to be gone? And that's crazy right there. I don't even know what to say," said Jumaane Williams, (D) NYC Council.

Elected officials called for increased gun laws and better funding to help the victims of crime.

"What society do we live in when a 3-year-old boy can, actually they shot the young lady in front of him? And then having to go back in and sleep the same night, he's being re-traumatized over and over again," said Pastor Gilford Monrose, 67th Precinct Clergy Council.

Police say they do have surveillance video, and Shemel was able to tell them the name of her attacker before she died.

But he and a female accomplice are still on the loose. Her dad is praying someone steps forward and helps police bring them in.

"Thank you everybody for coming out and supporting my daughter. Still got to go on, so thank you everybody. Thank you," he said.

Anyone with information is asked to contact police.