Suspect to Be Extradited
A reputed gang member currently incarcerated in Florida is expected to be charged for the tragic 2012 shooting death of a tennis-loving teen in the Bronx. Law-enforcement sources revealed on Friday that Steve Boria will be extradited to New York to face murder charges for the cold case killing of 14-year-old Kemar Bryan Brooks.
The 2012 Incident
Kemar Bryan Brooks, an honor roll student and high schooler, was found fatally shot in Haffen Park on July 26, 2012. Brooks was out playing tennis with friends when he was struck by a stray bullet, according to sources. The suspected shooter, Boria, an alleged member of the Bronx’s “Slut Gang,” has long been suspected of being responsible for the teenager’s death.
Breakthrough in the Case
The case, which had grown cold, received a crucial lead in 2018 when investigators recovered a gun believed to be the murder weapon, as reported by ABC7 at the time. Boria, who goes by the nickname “Chrome,” is serving a 15-year prison sentence in a federal lockup in Florida after pleading guilty to gun and drug charges in October 2019.
Gang Involvement
Federal prosecutors have described Boria as the “most violent member” of the Slut Gang, a group known for terrorizing the community around the Bronx’s Boston Secor Houses with shootings, robberies, drug dealing, and other crimes. Boria was involved in several shootings on behalf of the gang, including one on September 1, 2012, at the public housing complex targeting members of the rival 2Fly gang.
The Night of the Shooting
On the night of his death, a thunderstorm forced Brooks and his friends to seek shelter at a nearby gazebo in Haffen Park. It was then that Brooks was tragically struck by a stray bullet. A witness reported seeing Brooks and two others running into the structure to avoid the rain. The witness also saw the alleged shooter enter the park and fire toward the pool, which was in the same direction as the gazebo.
Devastating Discovery
Brooks’ father spent the night searching for his son, starting around 3 a.m. He eventually made the heartbreaking discovery of Kemar lying dead near his tennis bags and rackets. Kemar Brooks was a ninth-grader at the Bronx Academy of Health Careers, known for his academic excellence and love for tennis.
