An 11-year-old boy from Newburgh was tragically shot and killed in his home by another child, reportedly as revenge for a previous shooting involving the victim’s older brother, according to sources shared with The Post.
Family and friends on Saturday confirmed the identity of the victim as Matthew.
At the time of the incident, Matthew was in his family’s residence on North Miller Street along with three other minors, when a 13-year-old, identified as the suspected shooter, reportedly fired the weapon, as stated by Orange County DA David Hoovler.
Hoovler explained, “Four individuals were in close proximity at the time of the shooting.”
According to him, an unregistered firearm was located at the site of the incident.
The minor responsible for the shooting has been charged with second-degree murder.
While Hoovler chose not to reveal specific details about the motive behind this tragic event, he mentioned that all four children had access to social media.
“What we are observing among youth is a lack of understanding regarding the irreversible consequences of pulling a trigger, which alters lives forever,” he remarked.
He added, “Many young people lack the communication skills necessary to handle conflicts in person. They often do not have healthy means of resolving disputes without escalating to violence.”
Another insider informed The Post that the shooting on Thursday, which sent shockwaves through the Hudson Valley, was motivated by vengeance related to a prior incident involving Matthew’s older sibling. Specifics regarding this previous shooting remain undisclosed.
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Matthew’s grieving family has opted not to make any public statements.
“He often rode his bike in this neighborhood,” reflected Jaleel Hargrove, a friend of Matthew who wore a shirt featuring the boy’s image and the words “Rest in Peace Matthew.”
“He joined us for basketball games,” the 17-year-old recounted. “We enjoyed bike rides together. Learning that he had passed away has deeply affected me.”
“I recognize the presence of gang affiliations among others,” he continued. “Matthew was never interested in that; his dreams were to become successful.”
A makeshift memorial featuring balloons, flowers, candles, and torn dollar bills was erected in front of the home where Matthew was fatally shot.
A heartfelt note among the flowers read: “You were like a best friend, a little brother, and a fake cousin all together. I can’t believe you’re gone. This deeply hurts my soul. You didn’t deserve this, baby boy, I’m so sorry. I love you, buddy.”
Jaleel remembered Matthew as “often alone, yet always cheerful while biking or shooting hoops.”
“The last time I saw him was on Tuesday,” Jaleel recalled. “He was here playing basketball and asked me for a dollar to buy a soda. I gave him a dollar.”
A neighbor, a 25-year-old woman named Jenna, was roused from sleep by the sound of gunfire on Thursday.
“I tend to ignore it because gunshots are frequent around here,” she commented.
“This incident gained attention because it involved children, yet gunshots are a regular occurrence.”
Jaleel expressed a message to the individual who shot his friend.
“What you’ve done is reprehensible. He was just a child, only 11 years old. You deserve whatever consequences await you for this,” he stated.
