Richard Henderson: Father of 3 who 'always wanted peace' shot dead trying to stop fight over loud music between strangers on NYC subway

Richard Henderson was shot to death on a Brooklyn subway train as he tried to intervene in a fight between two persons on the train over loud music
PUBLISHED JAN 16, 2024
Richard Henderson who was shot dead on NYC subway (New York Police Department)
Richard Henderson who was shot dead on NYC subway (New York Police Department)

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

BROOKLYN, NEW YORK: On Sunday, January 14, 45-year-old Richard Henderson, a father of three and a grandfather to two little girls, was fatally shot aboard the No. 3 train in Brooklyn after trying to resolve an argument between two other passengers over loud music, the police said, as per NY Times

Around 8.15 pm, Henderson of Crown Heights reportedly tried to resolve a dispute between his killer and another man over loud music. As a result, he was shot twice, once in the shoulder and once in the back, as the train was nearing the Rockaway Avenue stop in Brownsville, the police said, just three stops from his own.

Henderson's family members mourn his death 

Baffled and disturbed family members gathered at the Brooklyn home of Henderson’s in-laws.

Per NY Post, they described the slain father of three and grandfather of two young girls as someone "who loved helping" others and always put his family first.

"He’s a good man,” his wife Jakeba Dockery, told The Post, adding. “He didn’t deserve it. Not that.”

The victim’s older brother, Jermaine Henderson, told The Post, "He died helping someone." He added, “That’s him! He always intervened, he always wanted peace. That’s just what he did his whole life: Help people, We’re baffled. He was on his way home to his family.”

According to his relatives, Richard was an ardent Philadelphia Eagles supporter. Although his team was not playing on Monday night, he was eager to enjoy a fantastic game with his friends.

Anthony Williams describes whole incident

Anthony Williams who was with Henderson as the pair returned from another friend's house after watching the Green Bay Packers trounce the Dallas Cowboys, said, "We weren’t doing nothing to that man."

“The shooter got on the train with loudspeakers playing music,” he continued. “He shot Richie. He tried to shoot me in the head, but I ducked and he went out through the two swinging doors on Rockaway Parkway. I just let him go, because he almost caught me in the head.”

Williams even went on saying that he stayed with his mortally-wounded friend. But by the time the cops came, unfortunately he had died. 

"Richie lost a lot of blood,” Williams said. “It was a lot.”

According to his family, Henderson has served as a crossing guard at an Upper West Side private school for more than ten years.

"He just wanted to make sure people were OK around him, that there was no commotion, no beef, no problems,” his oldest child, 25-year-old son Richard Jr, told The Post.

"He was a peaceful man,” his son continued. “There was never any beef between him and anybody, he got killed because he was trying to make [peace].”

Additionally, at the time of writing there have been no arrests made. 

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