Teen gang killers sentenced in deadly brooklyn ambush outside charter school — NYPD car at scene - File Photo.

BROOKLYN, NY, April 17 — Three young men have been sentenced in the fatal shooting of 17-year-old Devonte Lewis, gunned down in broad daylight outside a Midwood charter school in 2021 in a gang-related ambush that escalated a violent turf war in Brooklyn, officials said Thursday.

Brooklyn District Attorney Eric Gonzalez announced that Malachi Simms, 19, and Quran Smith, 20, were sentenced to 14 years to life and 15 years to life in prison, respectively, for their roles as shooters in the murder. A third defendant, Frantzy Alexandre, 20, received 10 years in prison for his involvement.

The three defendants, all members of the Folk No Love City gang, were teenagers at the time of the killing and admitted to planning and executing the attack. Surveillance footage captured them hiding behind Lewis’s car before opening fire as the teen left Urban Dove Charter School on East 21st Street around 2:40 p.m. on April 29, 2021.

“These defendants, who were just 15 and 16 years old at the time, laid in wait and opened fire at their target outside a school—killing him and ruining their own entire futures,” said District Attorney Gonzalez in a prepared statement.

Shooting linked to gang rivalry

According to investigators, both Smith and Simms fired on the victim, striking him in the stomach. Alexandre was seen on video handing a weapon to Simms moments before the shots were fired. After the shooting, Simms and Alexandre entered the victim’s car in an attempt to flee before abandoning the vehicle and running to Simms’ house. Smith fled the scene and also went to Simms’ residence.

The victim, Devonte Lewis—also known as Dior—was a first-year student at the school and a part-time New York City Housing Authority employee. Authorities said Lewis was allegedly affiliated with the Bloodhound Brims, rivals of the Folk gang subsets. His murder sparked a years-long violent feud across Brooklyn neighborhoods.

Police recovered .380 and 9mm shell casings at the scene. When Smith was arrested weeks later on May 19, 2021, a loaded .380 Taurus Spectrum pistol was found in his possession and matched to the crime scene by ballistic testing.

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