Justice has been served in the case of two women who were killed nearly two years ago, following Brooklyn District Attorney Eric Gonzalez’ announcement today that two men have been sentenced to 50 years to life for the July 2017 homicides.
Nazir Saunders, 22, of Harlem and Anthony Alexander, 19, of Bedford-Stuyvesant each received the stiff sentences from Brooklyn Supreme Court Justice Evelyn Laporte today after being after was convicted of two counts of second-degree murder and second-degree criminal possession of a weapon on May 20, 2019, following a jury trial.
“Two innocent women lost their lives and two young girls were robbed of their mothers when these defendants opened fire without regard for who might be harmed by their bullets. I hope today’s prison sentence makes clear that there are serious consequences for those who devastate families and terrorize our communities with senseless acts of gun violence,” said Gonzalez.
The fatal incident unfolded at about 9:30 p.m., July 12, 2017 at the New York City Housing Authority’s (NYCHA) Stuyvesant Gardens. At this time, Saunders and Anthony were convicted of entering the courtyard of 750 Gates Avenue and opening fire into a group of about 20 people who were hanging out at the location.
The defendants started shooting, firing a total of 10 bullets, four from a .45-caliber gun and six from a .380-caliber firearm. They missed their intended targets but fatally struck Chynna Battle, 21, a mother of a 3-year-old daughter, in the head, and Shaqwanda Staley, 29, a mother of a 9-year-old daughter, once in the back.
Both defendants fled the scene and were later arrested in South Carolina on October 31, 2017.
The case was prosecuted by Senior Assistant District Attorney Leila Rosini, of the District Attorney’s Homicide Bureau, and Assistant District Attorney Michael Diamond, of the District Attorney’s Grey Zone Trial Bureau, under the supervision of Assistant District Attorney Timothy Gough, Homicide Bureau Chief.
