Mother’s Day Shooting: Four Teenagers Arrested In Fatal Shooting Of 15-Year-Old

The Mother’s Day shooting that resulted in the death of a 15-year-old has led to the arrest of four other teenagers.

NBC 4 New York is reporting that the four teenagers, ages 19, 18, 17, and 16, were arrested in the shooting death of Al-Shakeen Woodson, an innocent bystander attending the annual Blessing of the Bikes held by the Newark Knights Motorcycle Club on Mother’s Day. Two of the teens, the 19-year-old and the 16-year-old, face first-degree murder charges. All four face illegal weapons charges.

Police have determined that the shootout was a result of a dispute between the teenagers dating back to their freshman year of high school. The 19-year-old and 16-year-old traded gunfire with the other two teenagers, and at some point during the Mother Day’s gunfight, Woodson was shot, along with two other innocent bystanders. The 19-year-old was also injured by the gunfire.

Woodson was pronounced dead at an area hospital after the Mother’s Day shooting. The other three shooting victims, including the 19-year-old accused shooter, were treated for their injuries.

“They took (this dispute) to another level… leading to the senseless and tragic killing of this young man who had nothing to do with this dispute,” Carolyn Murray, Essex County acting prosecutor, said Friday about the Mother’s Day shooting.

According to WABC New York, the Blessing of the Bikes brought in over 2,000 onlookers. The Blessing of the Bikes opens the motorcycling season for riders in the area. However, the violence occurred after the Mother’s Day event had ended. Prosecutors have given no indication as to who they believe the intended target of the violence was.

“Absolutely, this thing got out of control,” Newark Mayor Ras Baraka said.

Mayor Baraka has stated that it may be time to rethink hosting the Mother’s Day event because it is getting too large for the Newark police to handle. Many bikers and fans reminded the mayor that the violence occurred after the Mother’s Day event was over.

“It’s sad because everybody here voted for him to be in the place he’s here now. And for him to slap us in the face and say like I didn’t know about it, it’s like throwing us under the bus,” said Cutty Luciano of the Made Men Bike Club about the Mother’s Day event’s future.

According to CBS New York, Mayor Baraka rethought his position, saying the city would have to look into ways to better police the Mother’s Day event. The event aside, those in attendance, as is the entire city of Newark, is mourning the loss of one of their youngsters.

Woodson’s crestfallen mother, Sherkimea Zigler, said, “All I know is that he was a good kid. … He did not deserve it.”