2 men sentenced in murder of 11-year-old bystander waiting for friends outside nail salon
BRONX (WABC) -- Two men were sentenced in the shooting that left an 11-year-old innocent bystander shot and killed in the Bronx.
The teenagers at the time of the shooting were 18 and 15 years old, riding on a scooter when they opened fire, missing the intended target, but killing the little girl.
Matthew Godwin, now 18, was sentenced to 10 years to life in prison for second-degree murder.
Omar Bojang, now 21, was sentenced to 15 years in prison and 5 years post-release supervision.
Kyhara Tay was shot and killed in May 2022 on her way home from school.
According to the investigation, Bojang and Godwin were riding on a motorized scooter driven by Bojang on Westchester Avenue, looking for a rival gang member.
Upon seeing the 13-year-old target, Godwin fired two shots from a handgun on the back of the scooter.
One of the rounds struck Tay in the stomach as she was waiting for her friends outside a nail salon.
She died that night at a hospital.
In court on Wednesday, Godwin said he took full responsibility for the shooting.
"I never meant to hurt your little girl, I hope one day you can forgive me," Godwin said.
Emotion in the courtroom ran high.
"The sentence they have is not going to bring Kyhara back but it gave us some type of peace that they're off the streets," Yahisha Gomez, Kyhara's mother, said.
The killing sparked outrage in the community and an outpouring of support for the family.
Omar Bojang, the other suspect, also apologized in court, saying he wants to pay his dues to society.
"Their actions ended the life of a young girl forever and forever destroyed her family and loved ones," Bronx District Attorney Darcel Clark said.
The judge in this case said it highlights the troubling issue of children committing crimes against children, while it is tragic that an 11-year-old girl was killed the intended target was a 13-year-old boy.
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