“As alleged, Ricky Shelby fatally shot Excenia Mette when she stepped outside to check on her grandson after she heard shots being fired. Ms. Mette, affectionately known as Momma Zee, was a staple of the Harlem community, and her death is an absolute tragedy,” said District Attorney Bragg. “My heart goes out to her many loved ones who are mourning her devastating loss. New Yorkers should be able to walk in their neighborhoods without fearing for their lives, and we will hold accountable those who harm New Yorkers through gun violence.”

“Avery Dunning was held accountable for a vicious attack against his neighbor, who was trying to protect Dunning’s girlfriend from what she believed was abuse,” said District Attorney Bragg. “A jury of his peers determined that Dunning’s extremely violent conduct could have been fatal. It is miraculous that the neighbor survived such a horrific act of gun violence, but she continues to suffer from the significant, life altering effects of this shooting. I thank our prosecutors for presenting such a strong and compelling case and securing justice.”

“Our comprehensive strategy of prevention, collaboration and enforcement has led to a 45% decline in shootings in Manhattan during my tenure,” said District Attorney Bragg. “Today’s awards underscore our commitment to a vital part of that strategy: prevention. I am grateful for the dedicated organizations who have demonstrated their commitment to showing our young people that they matter and are worthy of a promising future free from gun violence. Our youth gun violence prevention initiative continues to foster collaboration within the community and keep our Manhattan streets safer.”

“These defendants allegedly committed months of reckless gun violence that terrorized their neighborhoods and communities. We have absolutely no tolerance for this pervasive, indiscriminate gun violence, which jeopardized the lives of many innocent bystanders. These indictments are necessary for public safety, but they alone are not enough. We will continue to work with our community partners and elected officials to make investments in youth who are at risk of gun violence so we can stop these patterns of violence before they occur. That dual strategy is how we have been able to significantly reduce shootings in Manhattan by 45% over the past three years, but there is still a lot more work to be done,” said District Attorney Bragg.