BRONX, N.Y. — Three men have been indicted on attempted murder and multiple weapons charges after a verbal altercation inside a Bronx smoke shop escalated into a shootout across a busy Mt. Hope shopping strip earlier this year, District Attorney Darcel D. Clark announced Thursday.
Key Points
- The January 8 incident stemmed from an argument at a smoke shop at 239 East Tremont Avenue.
- Shots were fired across the street during rush-hour foot traffic; no injuries were reported.
- Biyagi Jawara, Ebarama Jawara, and Mohammed Kamar were indicted on attempted murder and a series of firearms-related charges.
Argument inside shop erupts into street shootout
According to investigators, the incident began around 6:15 p.m. on January 8 when Biyagi Jawara, 28, and Mohammed Kamar, 27, engaged in a dispute with another man inside a smoke shop on East Tremont Avenue. Ebarama Jawara, 24, later arrived at the location. The man involved in the dispute then exited and joined several individuals across the street.
When the three defendants left the store, a shot was fired from the opposing group. Ebarama Jawara allegedly returned fire, and Kamar also allegedly discharged the same weapon.
Multiple firearms charges, high bail for defendants
All three defendants—residents of the Bronx—have been indicted on a range of charges, including second-degree Attempted Murder, multiple counts of Attempted Assault, first-degree Reckless Endangerment, and several counts related to illegal weapons possession.
Biyagi and Ebarama Jawara also face third-degree Criminal Possession of a Weapon charges. Authorities allege that at least two different shots were fired during the confrontation, which took place on a busy commercial street.
“This reckless behavior endangered lives,” said DA Clark. “The defendants turned an argument into a gunfight.”
Arraignments and bail set
Biyagi Jawara was arraigned Thursday before Bronx Supreme Court Justice George Villegas, with bail set at $5,000 cash or $15,000 bond. Ebarama Jawara was arraigned on March 20, with bail set at $15,000 cash or $50,000 bond. Mohammed Kamar was arraigned on April 2; his bail was set at $15,000 cash or $45,000 bond.
The case remains under active prosecution as authorities continue their investigation into the events that endangered bystanders during the evening confrontation.