{"id":206880,"date":"2026-04-23T03:10:15","date_gmt":"2026-04-23T03:10:15","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/206880\/"},"modified":"2026-04-23T03:10:15","modified_gmt":"2026-04-23T03:10:15","slug":"person-of-interest-idd-in-shooting-death-of-15-year-old-in-st-albans-queens-police-say","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/206880\/","title":{"rendered":"Person of interest ID’d in shooting death of 15-year-old in St. Albans, Queens, police say"},"content":{"rendered":"

A person of interest has been identified in connection with a shooting in a St. Albans, Queens park<\/a> that left a teen dead, the NYPD said.<\/p>\n

Zahir Davis, 18, was the gunman who shot 15-year-old Jaden Pierre in Roy Wilkins Park at Merrick and Baisley boulevards, police said.<\/p>\n

Pierre was shot dead Thursday after a dispute on a basketball court. He was rushed to Jamaica Hospital in critical condition, but later died.<\/p>\n

Community mourns loss of teen<\/p>\n

A vigil was held at the park Monday night<\/a> to remember the teen who was a student at Eagle Academy, just down the street.<\/p>\n

Elected officials and local residents of all ages attended to pay their respects.<\/p>\n

“We have failed you. Your son should be home,” Public Advocate Jumaane Williams said to the teen’s family.\u00a0 \u00a0<\/p>\n

“It’s very heartbreaking to our community. We have children of our own. They travel to go to school. This shouldn’t have happened,” Shantee Williams said. \u00a0<\/p>\n

Neighbors were shocked after the shooting, saying the area is normally a safe place for young people.<\/p>\n

“I thought it was an exercise because they have exercises over here a lot. I thought it was a police exercise,” one witness said, referring to the NYPD’s response. \u00a0<\/p>\n

Photos of suspect released<\/p>\n

Police\u00a0released photos of an individual on Friday who is wanted in connection with the shooting<\/a>.<\/p>\n

New York Attorney General Letitia James said at the vigil that the NYPD knows who is responsible and where they are. She asked that person to turn themself in.<\/p>\n

Police said Davis is affiliated with the BG4 gang, which operates in southeast Queens. They believe the shooting stemmed from ongoing beef with the victim.<\/p>\n

Anyone with any information is asked to call the NYPD’s Crime Stoppers hotline at\u00a01-800-577-TIPS (8477), or for Spanish,\u00a01-888-57-PISTA (74782). You can also submit a tip\u00a0via their website<\/a>\u00a0or via DM on Twitter,\u00a0@NYPDTips<\/a>. All calls are kept confidential.\u00a0 \u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n

\n More from CBS News\n <\/p>\n

In:<\/p>\n