Henry Thomas: NYC teen who fatally shot 16-year-old ‘peacemaker’ identified by his ‘black Air Jordans’

Warning: This article contains a recollection of crime and can be triggering to some, readers’ discretion advised.

MANHATTAN, NEW YORK: According to court documents, the teenager who fatally shot a 16-year-old "peacemaker" in Soho arrived at the scene using a Citi Bike basket and was identified partly by his unique Air Jordans.

Henry Thomas was formally charged with second-degree murder in Manhattan Criminal Court on Saturday, May 18, for the killing of Makhi Brown, who was shot just half a block away from his charter school, officials reported.

According to authorities, a confrontation erupted between two groups near Varick and Spring Streets on May 7. Brown intervened to stop the altercation, but tragically, he was shot in the head and fatally wounded.

Why was 'peacemaker' Makhi Brown shot?

As per the New York Post, the 19-year-old shooter, Henry Thomas was captured on camera wearing "distinctive black Air Jordans with red and yellow trim," getting into the Citi Bike basket prior to the shooting. 

Authorities stated in the complaint that when the shooter's bike arrived in Urban Plaza, located between Spring Street and Dominick Street, approximately a block from Brown's school, he "stepped out of the back and fired a handgun three times".

Makhi Brown sustained gunshot wounds to the back of the head and twice in the leg. 

Brown was a member of a basketball team run by the NYPD 67th Precinct Clergy Council, a non-violence group also known as The GodSquad. He was trying to be a “peacemaker” between two groups who were fighting, NYPD officials said.

Upon identifying Thomas, investigators proceeded to his residence on the Upper East Side, where they discovered the sneakers worn by him in the video footage. 

Thomas was apprehended at his residence on Friday, May 17, by the US Marshals Service and the NYPD. During his court appearance, Thomas appeared wearing gray sweatpants and white high-top sneakers with black trim. 

He was handcuffed behind his back.

What did defense attorney say?

Assistant District Attorney Gina Nerone stated during the hearing that Thomas "executed a 16-year-old high school student by shooting him in the head."

Defense attorney Adam Freedman objected to the use of the word "executed." 

Judge Marisol Martinez-Alonso, who permitted Nerone to proceed, advised Thomas that if he declined to attend court, proceedings would occur in his absence. 

Thomas affirmed his understanding with a resounding "Yes." He was then escorted to the Rikers Island correctional facility, where he is being detained without bail. 

As his family and friends exited the courtroom, they waved and blew kisses to him. One person exclaimed, "We love you." 

If convicted, Thomas faces a minimum sentence of 15 years to life and a maximum of 25 years to life.