The man convicted of fatally shooting a teenage basketball player in the Bronx in 2020 has been sentenced to 25 years in prison, prosecutors said Friday.
Najhim Luke, 26, opened fire at a crowd gathered for a barbecue in Morris Heights on June 28, 2020, hitting Brandon Hendricks, who was just 17 years old, with a stray bullet, the Bronx district attorney’s office said.
Luke was found guilty in January on charges of first-degree manslaughter and second-degree criminal possession of a weapon, prosecutors said.
In addition to his 25-year sentence, Luke will be subject to five years of post-release supervision, the DA’s office said.
Family and friends who knew Hendricks said he was an academic standout at James Monroe High School, and a role model both in the classroom and on the court as a star on the basketball team.
“Brandon was killed just days after his high school graduation. His dream to play college basketball was ripped away when he was shot with a stray bullet,” Bronx District Attorney Darcel Clark said in a statement.
“I want to thank Brandon’s mother, who, through this tragedy, has turned her pain into purpose. She has been a vocal advocate against gun violence and has been working with our office to bring meaningful change to the community,” Clark added.