BROOKLYN, NY – A man from Brooklyn was sentenced to 32 ½ years to life in prison for his role in a mass shooting that occurred during the Old Timers Day celebration in Brownsville Park in 2019. The shootout left one man dead and 11 others wounded.
Brooklyn District Attorney Eric Gonzalez identified the man as Kyle Williams, 23. Brooklyn Supreme Court Justice John Hecht sentenced Williams on April 20, after a jury found him guilty of second-degree murder, second-degree criminal possession of a weapon, and first-degree reckless endangerment.
According to evidence presented at the trial, the incident took place at around 11 p.m. on July 27, 2019, in Brownsville Playground. Williams confronted Jason Pagan, 38, during the Old Timers Day celebration which had gathered over 500 community members. After a verbal dispute, Williams shot Pagan in the head and torso, leading to an exchange of gunfire between rival groups.
Eleven bystanders were caught in the crossfire and sustained gunshot injuries.
Williams was arrested on October 16, 2019, thanks to tips received from community members and multiple eyewitnesses who identified him as the initial shooter. The police also recovered the weapon used in the fatal shooting and obtained an admission from Williams while he was in custody.