NEW YORK, NY – A gunman who shot and killed East Brooklyn honor student, 14-year-old Oluwadurotimi Oyebola while playing basketball in 2018 was sentenced to 10 years to life in prison.
According to Brooklyn District Attorney Eric Gonzalez, Aaron Nathaniel has been sentenced to 10 years to life in prison after pleading guilty to murder.
District Attorney Gonzalez said, “This heartbreaking case highlights the devastation gun violence wreaks in our communities. An innocent, beloved teenager was senselessly killed when this defendant callously sprayed a Brownsville basketball court with bullets. A promising life has been cut short, a family remains in mourning, and after living through a troubled childhood, this young defendant’s future is now in ruins. We will continue to use every available tool to prevent gun violence through community engagement, youth programming, and outreach, while ensuring accountability for those who cause harm.”
According the district attorney’s office:
The District Attorney identified the defendant as Aaron Nathaniel, 18, of Brownsville, Brooklyn. He was sentenced today as a juvenile offender by Brooklyn Supreme Court Justice Craig Walker to 10 years to life in prison, following his guilty plea on April 6 to second-degree murder.
The District Attorney said that, according to the investigation, on September 21, 2018, at approximately 3:50 p.m., in Chester Playground, on Chester Street, in Brownsville, the defendant opened fire on a crowd of people on a basketball court, striking the victim, 16-year-old Oluwadurotimi Oyebola, known as Timi, of Queens, once in the head. The victim was taken to Brookdale Hospital, where he was pronounced dead.
The defendant was arrested on October 3, 2018, following an investigation. The shooting was captured on video surveillance and video from the immediate aftermath showed the gun in the defendant’s hand. Following his arrest, the defendant made statements to police in which he admitted to the shooting and said the victim was not the intended target.