Zanir Childs Identified as Victim in Tragic East New York Double Shooting: 18-Year-Old Fatally Gunned Down Outside 812 New Jersey Avenue, Second Victim Injured as Devastated Community Demands Answers Amid Rising Gun Violence
Zanir Childs Identified as Victim in Tragic East New York Double Shooting: 18-Year-Old Fatally Gunned Down Outside 812 New Jersey Avenue, Second Victim Injured as Devastated Community Demands Answers Amid Rising Gun Violence
EAST NEW YORK, BROOKLYN — The close-knit East New York community is mourning the loss of 18-year-old Zanir Childs, who was fatally shot in a devastating double shooting that rocked the neighborhood late Saturday night. The incident, which occurred just before 10 p.m. on May 17, unfolded on the dimly lit sidewalk outside 812 New Jersey Avenue, a location now marked by bloodstains, scattered evidence markers, and a growing memorial of candles, flowers, and handwritten notes left by anguished family members and friends.
The second victim, whose identity has not been released by authorities as of Monday morning, survived the shooting but sustained serious injuries and remains hospitalized in stable condition, according to police sources.
Zanir Childs, a recent high school graduate and aspiring music producer, was known by many in the neighborhood for his creativity, kindness, and infectious smile. Friends say he was working part-time while saving up for music equipment and dreaming of launching a career in sound engineering.
“He wasn’t involved in the streets,” said Jamal Thompson, a family friend and local mentor. “Zanir stayed out of trouble, always respectful. He was just trying to live his life and do something positive with it. He didn’t deserve this.”
The shooting has sent shockwaves through East New York, a historically underserved neighborhood that has grappled with persistent gun violence and economic inequality. Residents describe a painful sense of déjà vu as yet another young life is lost to senseless bloodshed.
“He lived just down the block,” said Keesha Williams, a neighbor who witnessed the aftermath. “I saw his mom fall to her knees when she got here. That scream — I’ll never forget it. You see it on the news, but when it happens to someone you know, it changes everything.”
The Scene: Panic and Chaos
According to the NYPD, officers from the 75th Precinct responded to multiple 911 calls reporting gunfire in the vicinity of New Jersey Avenue and Hegeman Avenue. Upon arrival, they found Childs lying unresponsive on the pavement with multiple gunshot wounds to his torso. Emergency Medical Services rushed him to Brookdale Hospital Medical Center, where he was pronounced dead shortly after arrival.
The second victim, described only as a male in his late teens or early twenties, was found a short distance away suffering from a gunshot wound to the leg. Police are still investigating whether he was an intended target or a bystander caught in the crossfire.
Witnesses describe a scene of confusion and terror as gunfire erupted without warning.
“I heard five or six shots, then people screaming,” said a local resident who asked to remain anonymous for safety reasons. “It happened so fast. When I looked out the window, I saw someone running and someone else on the ground.”
Surveillance footage from nearby businesses is currently being reviewed as part of the ongoing investigation. Detectives have not yet identified a suspect, and no arrests have been made.
A Community in Mourning
By Sunday afternoon, a makeshift memorial had formed at the site of the shooting. Dozens of mourners gathered to pay their respects, some lighting candles while others offered prayers and shared memories of the young man whose life was abruptly and violently cut short.
“He was always the peacemaker in the group,” said Tyrell McKenzie, one of Zanir’s childhood friends. “Even when other kids got into it, he’d be the one to pull them aside and cool things down. That’s what hurts the most — he never brought negativity.”
Zanir’s mother, Monica Childs, released a statement through a family spokesperson expressing her grief and disbelief.
“My son was everything to me. He was my heart. This should not have happened. Our children deserve to grow up without the fear of bullets flying through their neighborhoods. I want justice for my son.”
Rising Violence Sparks Renewed Calls for Action
The killing of Zanir Childs is the latest in a series of violent incidents that have plagued East New York and other parts of Brooklyn in recent months. Despite a citywide drop in overall crime, gun violence remains a persistent threat in several pockets of the borough.
According to NYPD data, the 75th Precinct — which covers East New York — has recorded a 12% increase in shooting incidents compared to the same time last year. Community leaders say these statistics reflect deeper systemic issues, including poverty, lack of access to mental health services, and inadequate youth programming.
“We are burying our kids way too early,” said Rev. Shaun Greene, who leads a local anti-violence initiative. “What happened to Zanir is unacceptable, but it’s not surprising. We’ve been crying out for help, for resources, for real investment in our neighborhoods. But until that happens, we’re going to keep waking up to tragedy.”
Elected officials, including Councilmember Charles Barron, have also weighed in, calling for increased funding for community-based violence interrupters and youth mentorship programs.
“This community needs healing, and it needs it now,” Barron said at a press conference Sunday evening. “Policing alone won’t solve this crisis. We need to invest in our young people, in job training, in education — that’s how we stop the cycle.”
Investigation Ongoing
As of Monday morning, detectives continue to piece together the events that led up to the deadly shooting. Preliminary reports suggest that an argument may have preceded the gunfire, though authorities have not confirmed a motive.
The NYPD is urging anyone with information to come forward. Tips can be submitted anonymously by calling Crime Stoppers at 1-800-577-TIPS (8477) or visiting www.nypdcrimestoppers.com.
In the meantime, the Childs family is preparing to lay their son to rest. A GoFundMe page has been established to assist with funeral costs and has already garnered over $12,000 in donations in less than 24 hours, a testament to the impact Zanir had on those around him.
Remembering Zanir Childs
As the investigation continues, one truth remains painfully clear: a vibrant young life has been extinguished, and a family is left shattered.
Zanir Childs wasn’t just a name on a police blotter — he was a son, a friend, a dreamer. He was someone who looked toward the future with hope and ambition. And now, he is a name etched into the long and heartbreaking ledger of young Black men taken too soon by gun violence.
For those who knew him, the memory of Zanir lives on in every beat he mixed on his laptop, every joke he told, every smile he shared on a quiet evening in East New York.
His story, though tragically brief, is a call to action — a plea for peace in neighborhoods too often defined by pain.
As one mourner wrote in bold, black marker on a poster board taped to the side of the memorial:
“Rest in power, Zanir. We won’t forget you. We won’t stop fighting.”
Anyone with information regarding the shooting that claimed the life of Zanir Childs is encouraged to contact the NYPD’s Crime Stoppers Hotline at 1-800-577-TIPS or submit a tip online at www.nypdcrimestoppers.com. All calls are confidential.