You are reading

10-Year-Old Boy Killed in Edgemere After Gunman Sprays House With Bullets Saturday

10-year-old Justin Wallace was killed in a shooting Saturday (Council Member Selvena Brooks-Powers via Twitter)

June 7, 2021 By Allie Griffin

A 10-year-old boy was killed in a shooting in the Rockaways Saturday just days before his birthday.

Justin Wallace, of Arverne, was shot in the chest when a gunman sprayed bullets at the Edgemere home of his relatives at around 9:30 p.m., police said.

Wallace was walking out the front door of the house on Beach 45th Street with his 29-year-old cousin when a man opened fire at the home.

Wallace was struck by a bullet in the torso, while his cousin — who lived in the house — was shot in his shoulder, according to police.

The young boy, who was a fifth-grader at Challenge Preparatory Charter School, was rushed to St. John’s Episcopal Hospital, but couldn’t be saved. His cousin was brought to Jamaica Hospital Medical Center in stable condition, police said.

“Someone drove up in front of a house and started firing a weapon, not caring who would die and a 10-year-old is gone,” Mayor Bill de Blasio said near the victim’s home on Sunday. “That can’t happen in this city.”

Wallace’s killer is still on the loose. Police believe the shooting was the result of an ongoing dispute between the boy’s relatives and their neighbors over a shared driveway, according to reports.

De Blasio, Queens Borough President Donovan Richards and Council Member Selvena Brooks-Powers visited Wallace’s heartbroken family on Sunday.

“It’s the most painful thing in the world to be there with a family who has lost a child, there’s no words,” de Blasio said Sunday. “It is heartbreaking, but it’s enraging also.”

He promised to find the killer and bring him to justice.

Richards, who knew the family personally before Saturday’s tragedy, spoke directly to Wallace’s killer.

“Whoever is responsible for this, turn yourself in,” he said. “This young man, Justin, was 10 years old — would have been 11 on Tuesday. This family was planning a birthday party for him. Today they’re planning a funeral because of your recklessness.”

The fatal shooting occurred amid an uptick in shootings citywide this year compared to last year.

email the author: news@queenspost.com
No comments yet

Leave a Comment
Reply to this Comment

All comments are subject to moderation before being posted.

This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.

Recent News

Advocates urge passage of New York for All Act as Assembly session nears end

Jun. 16, 2025 By Jimmy Robles

As the State Senate concluded its legislative session on Thursday, immigrant rights advocates renewed calls for lawmakers to pass the New York for All Act before the Assembly adjourns on Tuesday, June 17. The proposed legislation, along with several other immigration-related bills, remains pending as the clock winds down on this year’s session.

Queens gun buyback takes 74 firearms off streets, including ghost guns and assault weapons: DA

Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz announced Monday that 74 firearms were taken off the streets at the Greater Allen A.M.E. Cathedral of New York in Jamaica during a gun buyback event on Saturday, June 14. The weapons were exchanged for bank cards pre-loaded with cash, with no identification required and no questions asked.

“Gun buybacks serve as a critical tool for reducing gun violence and promoting public safety within our communities,” Katz said. “This Saturday, working with the NYPD and clergy leaders in Jamaica, we received 74 surrendered guns — including five automatic weapons. As a result, these firearms will not be used to cause heartache and tragedy.”

Suspect wanted for slashing rider during violent altercation on Q43 bus in Jamaica: NYPD

Police from the 103rd Precinct in Jamaica are still looking for a suspect who attacked a rider on board a Q43 MTA bus late last month.

A 24-year-old victim was sitting on the bus as it approached Archer Avenue and Sutphin Boulevard at 5:30 p.m. on Thursday, May 29, when a stranger began to argue with him. The verbal dispute escalated into violence when the assailant began to punch the victim multiple times in the head and body. The perpetrator then slashed the victim in the left hand with an unknown sharp object, police said. The attacker stormed off the bus and was last seen traveling southbound on Sutphin Avenue toward the Long Island Rail Road Station.