Suspect who fled US arrested in connection with caught-on-camera killing of 15-year-old in NYC park

New York City Police Department (NYPD) detectives arrested Zahir Davis, 18, connected Friday nighttime pursuing an urgent hunt for the idiosyncratic who gunned down a kid astatine a Queens playground earlier this month, NYPD Commissioner Jessica Tisch announced successful a Saturday X post.

Davis is charged with execution successful transportation with the April 16 sidesplitting of 15-year-old Jaden Pierre, Tisch wrote.

Officials said Davis fled to Jamaica aft Pierre was shot, but returned to New York connected Friday wherever helium was instantly arrested by NYPD detectives assigned to the U.S. Marshals Regional Fugitive Task Force.

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The NYPD released photos of a fishy successful the execution of 15-year-old Jaden Pierre. (New York Police Department)

Authorities said Pierre was changeable astatine 6:15 p.m. connected April 16 adjacent Merrick and Baisley boulevards successful Queens. The adjacent day, the NYPD released photos of a fishy wanted successful transportation with the killing.

Social media video of the incidental showed a antheral repeatedly striking a young lad with his hands earlier opening occurrence toward the child. A assemblage that had formed astir the brace instantly dispersed aft gunshots rang out.

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New Yorkers, astir notably erstwhile Mayor Eric Adams, harshly criticized Mayor Zohran Mamdani for failing to instantly respond to the shooting.

"A 15-year-old kid was beaten and changeable to decease astatine a Southeast Queens playground yesterday. And someway this isn’t the apical story," Adams wrote successful an April 17 station connected X.

"Where is everyone else, including NYC Mayor Mamdani? Outrage shouldn’t beryllium connected zip code. Every kid deserves protection," Adams added.

Former New York City Mayor Eric Adams criticized Mayor Zohran Mamdani's contiguous absorption to the child's death. (Roy Rochlin/Getty Images; Adam Gray/Bloomberg)

Mamdani held a closed-door gathering with assemblage leaders to sermon the incidental connected April 20, helium told reporters.

He aboriginal addressed the shooting publically during an unrelated quality league Wednesday for Earth Day.

"I shared my thoughts connected this the different evening, wherever I spoke astir the information that this was heartbreaking. It was heartbreaking, not conscionable for what it means for his household and his friends, I cognize it was besides heartbreaking for truthful galore New Yorkers to ticker this video and spot others simply witnesser what unfolded arsenic opposed to step[ping] up to code it," Mamdani said.

"That is besides our work arsenic a metropolis government. I cognize that I person afloat assurance successful the NYPD's abilities to clasp the idiosyncratic liable accountable," helium continued.

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A pistillate and lad clasp adjacent a makeshift memorial for 15-year-old Jaden Pierre, who was fatally changeable past Thursday night, during a supplication vigil adjacent the country of the fatal shooting astatine the Roy Wilkins Park successful the Queens borough of New York City, April 20, 2026. (Reuters/Shannon Stapleton)

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Mamdani did not be a Monday vigil organized for Pierre but said helium was mounting up a clip to conscionable with Pierre's family.

Fox News Digital contacted the NYPD and Mamdani's bureau for remark but did not instantly person a response.