What to Know
- The 21-year-old accused of murdering a man inside a Harlem smoke shop was indicted for the gruesome execution-style slaying, according to the district attorney's office, which prosecutors have said was his second killing within 30 hours.
- Messiah Nantwi allegedly killed a 19-year-old in East Harlem a day before shooting and killing 36-year-old Brandon Brunson on April 9 inside the Lenox Avenue shop; Nantwi had been out on bail after allegedly opening fire at NYPD officers in the Bronx during a 2021 graffiti stop
- In both cases, Nantwi allegedly shot at very close range and then stood over the victims on the ground as he fired again
The 21-year-old accused of murdering a man inside a Harlem smoke shop was indicted for the gruesome execution-style slaying, according to the district attorney's office, which prosecutors have said was his second killing within 30 hours.
Messiah Nantwi faces two counts of second-degree murder and four counts of weapon possession, the Manhattan District Attorney's office announced Thursday. He is accused of shooting and killing two people in Harlem and East Harlem in early April, both of which occurred while Nantwi was out on bail in connection with a Bronx violent felony indictment.
It wasn't clear when Nantwi was released on bail in the Bronx indictment, which dates back to Feb. 2021. In that case, the then-18-year-old Nantwi allegedly opened fire on NYPD officers during a graffiti stop, firing three shots at an NYPD sergeant and two officers. They returned 31 shots.
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Nantwi was hit multiple times and treated for his injuries. The status of that case is pending, the Bronx district attorney's office previously said. A spokesperson said Nantwi made bail when the defense requested a lower amount.
Had that not happened, criminal justice reform advocates suggest, 36-year-old Brandon Brunson, of Brooklyn, and 19-year-old Jaylen Duncan might still be alive.
The younger man was felled on the corner of 132nd Street and Madison Avenue in broad daylight, around 4 p.m. on April 8. Prosecutors previously said video of the killer before and after the murder clearly shows his face, which they claim is Nantwi's. Prosecutors added that the same person seen in the video fled to Nantwi's apartment complex after the shooting as well.
Nantwi allegedly shot Duncan at close range, causing him to fall to the ground. He then allegedly stood over the defenseless victim and shot him several more times, prosecutors alleged.
That narrative is eerily similar to the violence that played out on store security cameras in the smoke shop on Lenox Avenue in Harlem about 27 hours later on April 9. Again, Nantwi is accused of shooting the victim at extremely close range, striking him in the head. The victim in this case, who had just made a purchase and turned to leave, also fell to the ground. He appeared to still be moving, video showed.
Nantwi allegedly stood over him and fired another round into his head before walking casually out of the store. Video of the shooting clearly shows his face, prosecutors say -- they say a witness who saw him run also identified him.
"Messiah Nantwi murdered two people in a span of 27 hours, and the family and loved ones of these victims are now suffering deep pain and trauma. Gun violence tears at the fabric of our neighborhoods, and I join those mourning the loss of these two men," said Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg.
A Crime Stoppers tip helped lead investigators to their suspect. Preliminary ballistics indicate the same weapon was used in both weekend shootings. Prosecutors say it was recovered in Harlem, shortly after Nantwi's arrest.
