By Thomas Tracy
TEEN KILLED FOLLOWING SWEET 16 PARTY: Two teens were shot, one fatally, last week as gunfire erupted near the corner of East 52nd and Winthrop streets, eviscerating the joys of a nearby Sweet 16 party. As this paper went to press, cops were still trying to track down the gunman, who opened fire on 17-year-old Ronald Petgrave of East 91st Street just after 1:30 a.m. on January 22. Police said that Petgrave and another teen were leaving the party for a classmate when several shots were fired. The shooter may have been laying in wait for the teen, officials said. Both teens were hit and rushed to Kings County Hospital where Petgrave died of his injuries. He had been shot five times, officials said. The other wounded teen was listed in stable condition following treatment. Cops are asking anyone with information regarding this incident to come forward. Tipsters could receive up to $2,000 for information leading to the gunman’s arrest and indictment. Calls can be made to either the 67th Precinct at (718) 287-3211 or the NYPD CrimeStoppers hotline at (800) 577-TIPS. All calls will be kept confidential. *** ABUSIVE PRIEST PLEADS GUILTY: A Flatbush priest accused of sexually abusing one of his altar boys pleaded guilty last week. Prosecutors confirmed that Father Joseph Byrns, a former spiritual leader at St. Rose of Lima Church at 269 Parkville Avenue, pleaded guilty Tuesday to one count of endangering the welfare of a child, admitting that he touched the altar boy inappropriately on several occasions between 2000 and 2002. Court watchers expect that Byrns will be given three years probation at his sentencing on March 7. Byrns was indicted on 20 counts in sex abuse in the second degree following his arrest in 2004, after his 11-year-old victim and his family moved from Brooklyn to Florida. The defrocked priest faced 25 years in prison on the initial charges, officials said. *** BUSTED WITH GUN: A man was arrested armed with a .45 caliber gun after police broke up a brawl at the corner of East 34th Street and Clarendon Road last week. Police from the 67th Precinct were called to beak up the disorderly group at 3:50 a.m. on January 22 when Police Officer Michael Fahmy allegedly saw Ricardo James secreting a .45 caliber pistol in his waistband. Officer Fahmy grabbed James and took him into custody, charging him with criminal possession of a weapon. *** ATTACKED ON FLATBUSH: A 19-year-old man told cops that he was jumped for no reason in front of 85 Flatbush Avenue, officials said last week. The victim said that he was on his way home at 10:30 p.m. on January 12 when three unidentified black males jumped him. The victim managed to run away, not realizing until he got home that he sustained a deep cut to the back of his neck. Police were told that two of the suspects in the attack were wearing red shirts, although it is unclear if this incident can be attributed to the Blood street gang, who are known to sport red colors. Cops are investigating. *** COPS INVESTIGATE SEX ATTACK: Police are continuing to investigate a 14-year-old girl’s claim that she was abducted and sexually abused by three men in Ditmas Park last month. The victim said that she was walking past the corner of Westminster and Cortelyou Roads at 11 p.m. on December 30 when the three suspects allegedly grabbed her. The suspects held her down, took off her clothes and molested her, officials were told. They also forced her to perform a sex act on them. When they were done, the suspects threw her out of a grey SUV and fled the scene. Officials said that the girl was traumatized and was taken to an area hospital for treatment. Police are asking anyone with information regarding this incident to come forward. Tipsters could receive up to $2,000 if their information leads them to the arrest and indictment of the ones responsible. Calls can be made to either the 70th Precinct at (718) 851-5511 or the NYPD Crimestoppers hotline at (800) 577-TIPS. All calls will be kept confidential. *** COPS INVESTIGATE HIT AND RUN: Cops are looking for the driver of a dark-colored vehicle who ended the life of a 53-year-old man Friday night. Officials said that the victim, who was not named, was crossing in front of 616 Rogers Avenue at 10 p.m. on January 13 when he was struck down. All witnesses saw was a dark-colored vehicle speeding away, officials said. The victim was taken to Kings County Hospital, where he died of his injuries 15 minutes later. Cops are asking anyone with information regarding this incident to come forward. Tipsters could receive up to $2,000 for information leading to the motorist’s arrest and conviction. Calls can be made to the NYPD CrimeStoppers hotline at (800) 577-TIPS. All calls will be kept confidential. *** MAN KILLED ON UTICA: A 24-year-old Queens resident was shot to death on Utica Avenue early Sunday morning, police from the 63rd Precinct said. Officials said that the victim, identified as Gavin Morris of 228th Street, was arguing with another man at 3:45 a.m. on January 8 when the suspect pulled a gun and shot him in the chest. Morris was rushed to Kings County Hospital where he died of his injuries a short time later. Cops are asking anyone with information regarding this incident to come forward. Tipsters could receive up to $2,000 for information leading to the arrest and indictment of those responsible. Calls can be made to either the 63rd Precinct at (718) 258-4411 or the NYPD CrimeStoppers hotline at (800) 577-TIPS. All calls will be kept confidential. *** COPS: HELP CLEAN UP GRAFFITI WHILE EARNING SOME GREEN: As the ongoing war against graffiti vandals continues, cops are now offering up to $500 in reward money to anyone who can offer them information that can lead them to anyone who commits graffiti vandalism. The hefty reward is part of the city’s new push to rid New York of graffiti vandals. Graffiti is one of the leading quality of life complaints brought to police. Officials said that cleaning up graffiti is essential to the plan, to show that the community is no longer going to tolerate marred and tagged-up walls and street corners. According to police there is a perception that if a community will tolerate graffiti, they will tolerate other criminal activities, such as drug dealing and prostitution. Anyone with information about graffiti vandalism is urged to contact either 311 or 911. ***
