• 2025-09-25 13:50:04
• Gun Violence

A 13-year-old Queens boy who was on life support after being shot outside a Dunkin’ store on his way to school died Wednesday, NYPD officials said, ruling his death a homicide.

Police said they found Sanjay Samuel with a

Samuel’s family told Gothamist they were grappling with how to proceed after doctors

“ Why you had to go and get a gun, and why you have to shoot Sanjay to kill him?” Griffith said. “What was Sanjay’s last word?”

Officials have not released a description of a possible suspect in the killing. NYPD data shows there were no other shootings in the

Mayor Eric Adams expressed condolences for Samuel’s family Wednesday night.

“Sanjay Samuel has his whole life ahead of him, and now it's been tragically taken away,” Adams

Samuel is the youngest person to die from gun violence in the city so far this year, according to NYPD data compiled by Gothamist. More than 20 teens have been killed in local shootings in 2025.

A

The corner where he was shot features multiple bus stops and is a gathering place for students at several local high schools, local business workers said. A 13-year-old student from one of those schools was

For more information about gun violence patterns across New York City, check out Gothamist’s map of shooting incidents over the past five years.

For more information about gun violence patterns across New York City, check out Gothamist’s map of shooting incidentsover the past five years.