Man Accused of Shooting, Killing St. John's Student During J'Ouvert

A man has been arrested in the shooting death of a 22-year-old St. Johns University student during the J'Ouvert celebrations ahead of Monday's West Indian Day Parade, police said.

NYPD Chief of Detectives Robert Boyce said that Reginald Moise was arrested on murder charges in the shooting death of 22-year-old Tiarah Poyau. An attorney for Moise couldn't immediately be reached for comment. 

Poyau was shot in the head at Empire Boulevard and Washington Avenue during the pre-dawn festivities. She was taken to Kings County Hospital, where she was pronounced dead.

Boyce said that Poyau was walking with friends shortly before the shooting and was lagging behind when she was shot. They heard the gunfire and then found the woman on the ground. 

"She's a stellar person, student at St. John's, no issues in her life," Boyce said. 

Boyce said that several hours after the shooting, Moise was arrested for driving while intoxicated after allegedly crashing his vehicle into three vehicles. 

Boyce said that Moise had asked a friend to store his gun at a woman's house after the shooting and fired two shots into her wall before breaking a window and cutting her hand. 

Boyce said that the gun was recovered at the woman's home and matched to the crime scene. Police investigating the case talked with friends who said the man told them he might have shot someone during the festival. Then, the man confessed to the crime to police before asking for an attorney.

"He went on to state 'I think I shot somebody, I didn't know the gun was loaded,'" Boyce said. 

A 17-year-old boy, Tyreke Borel, was also killed in a separate shooting about a block away. Five others were hurt in gunfire during the event, and two others were stabbed.

Police say they doubled their enforcement around J'Ouvert after a stray bullet struck and killed 43-year-old Carey Gabay, an aide to Gov. Andrew Cuomo, at last year's festivities. Around 3,400 officers were assigned to the event Sunday, compared to last year's 1,700. Forty-five cameras were set up, and 250 light towers were deployed.

NYPD Chief of Department Jimmy O'Neill said that 11 people were arrested on felony charges at the festival. Another seven were busted on felony charges at the parade that followed. 

On Tuesday, Brooklyn Assemblyman Walter T. Mosley called for an end to the celebration.

"I can no longer support this event and hope for the best when it comes to the well being of our fellow New Yorkers," he said. "This celebration of cultural heritage, on a day fought so hard for by our brothers and sisters in the labor movement, has unfortunately become synonymous with gun violence and until we as a community can collectively come together to address the root cause of these violent acts I cannot lend my support to it going forward."

Copyright AP - Associated Press
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