Gunman, boy who was with teen who was shot and killed in Brooklyn had planned to fight, police say
BENSONHURST, Brooklyn (WABC) -- A teen who was shot and killed in Brooklyn on Monday was with another boy who was going to fight the gunman, police said.
According to investigators, around 1 p.m. Monday 15-year-old Faridun Mavlonov was with six other young people on 20th Avenue in Bensonhurst.
They believe two groups of students knew each other from Franklin Delano Roosevelt High School, where they all attend summer school.
The victim had been with one group of students arguing with another group, which included the 17-year-old shooter.
Detectives say the gunman had words with a particular member of the victim's group, and agreed to meet up later to settle matters physically.
When both groups arrived, the 17-year-old pulled out a weapon and fired seven times at the group from across the street.
Police believe Mavlonov was not the intended target.
"One of those was going to fight our perpetrator. Not our victim, but he was in the intended target," NYPD Chief of Detectives James Essig said. "We don't know if he was intending to shoot the person who he was going to have a fight with, or he had just seen seven people come to him and shot into that group."
Mavlonov collapsed on the street about a half block from where he was shot.
He was taken to Maimonides Medical Center in grave condition and was pronounced dead Tuesday.
The father of the victim, Firdavs Mavlonov, says the senseless murder of his son has left him devastated.
"Different days another son dies, another people killed," he said.
Relatives and friends gathered to console the family Tuesday afternoon, and shook their heads in disbelief. They are immigrants from Uzbekistan, who came to the U.S. for a better life only to become disillusioned by the senseless violence.
"We want to be-our kids to be-safe, you know? Look at this family, they are crushed," said Toliv Mansurov, a spokesman for the victim's family. "This is a very sad moment for everyone, for any community. This can happen to any family. So, we need to prevent this, so it doesn't happen in the future anymore."
Overall, shootings are down by 26% so far this year and homicides are down 11%. But, on average, two children are shot every week in New York City. A number that's trending lower but is still deeply disturbing.
Detectives recovered video of the suspect which shows him walking down the street with a group of about six other young men.
The suspect is described as a male wearing a gray sweater, black or red sweatpants, and gray sneakers.
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