Who was Enriqueta Rivera? Grandmother, 71, shot dead by gang member while waiting to cross the street in NYC
NEW YORK CITY, NEW YORK: A family has been left devastated after a suspected gang member reportedly claimed the life of a 71-year-old grandmother when he opened fire in the Bronx at a rival last Thursday, September 14, 2023, the New York Police Department stated.
The victim, Enriqueta Rivera, who had a shopping cart, was waiting to cross the street on a corner near East 138th Street and Brook Avenue when Joshua Evans, 21, allegedly got involved in an altercation with another man and fired his gun, with the bullet hitting a second woman in the arm and killing Rivera just after noon on that day.
Enriqueta Rivera was a victim of gun violence
“Two innocent bystanders were shot in the confines of the 40 Precinct in the Mott Haven section of the Bronx. Our first unintended victim was identified as a female, 34 years old. She was shot once in her left arm; and thankfully, she was treated at Lincoln Hospital and will survive her injuries,” New York Police Chief of Detectives Joseph Kenny said during a press conference on Monday, September 18.
“A second woman was also shot; once again, she was an unintended victim of gun violence. And Enriqueta Rivera, the 71‑year‑old woman, was walking on the sidewalk with her shopping cart when she was shot one time in her heart by a bullet that was meant for another, meant for a rival gang member,” Kenny further added.
“We have two innocent women, two Bronx residents, two unintended targets, both struck by senseless gunfire,” Kenny summarized. The chief also added that Evans was known to the authorities due to a prior arrest in connection with a 2019 robbery.
“He resides just two blocks from where the shooting took place,” Kenny said, noting that Evans was “located and apprehended by US Marshals and the Regional Fugitive Task Force at 6:30 this morning [Monday].” New York Police Commissioner Edward Caban and NYC Mayor Eric Adams also joined the press conference.
When was suspect Joshua Evans arrested?
It has been reported that the suspect was hiding in a Mount Vernon home that belonged to a relative following the alleged crime. Cabin disclosed that video footage and photos led to the suspect's arrest within 96 hours of the fatal shooting.
“The suspect, whose intended targets were members of a rival gang, were quickly identified by patrol officers in the 40 Precinct through video footage and still photos. And early this morning, less than 96 hours after the shooting, an arrest was made," Cabin said.
"As the criminal justice system takes its course, the message from our police department is clear: if you carry an illegal firearm, if you recklessly pulled the trigger, if you harm anyone in our city, the NYPD will find you. We will arrest you, and you will be held accountable,” he said.
“Gang violence — or any type of violence, for that matter — will never be tolerated,” he added.
What charges does Joshua Evans face?
According to court records, Joshua Evans was arraigned on Monday and pleaded not guilty to charges of second-degree murder, attempted murder, first-degree manslaughter, assault, and a firearms charge. He is set to appear in Bronx Criminal Court at 9 am on September 22.
What did the victim Enriqueta Rivera’s family say?
Enriqueta Rivera’s daughter Neliza Abad Rivera said her mother was a “beautiful person inside and out” who was “always happy” and “wanted everyone to be together,” NBC New York reported.
The 71-year-old was a maintenance worker in Manhattan at officers for Major League Baseball and the Food Network, her daughter said.
“Justice will be served for my mother,” Neliza said, adding, “Everyone will know her name: Enriqueta Rivera Melendez.”
The victim's eldest daughter Magaly Gomez stated that her mother “did not deserve to die like this” on the “street that she loved,” CBS News reported.