By Tiffany Williams –
On Monday, at the United States District Court in Manhattan, Austin Morrishow entered a guilty plea to the illegal possession of multiple rounds of ammunition linked to a shooting incident on June 30, 2023, that critically injured a five-year-old girl in the Bronx.
On that fateful day, Morrishow, along with his co-defendant Curtis White and several others, was congregating on a residential sidewalk in the Bronx neighborhood. During this gathering, a car in the vicinity experienced a backfiring noise, which prompted a chaotic response.
According to court documents and witness statements, Morrishow immediately reacted by seeking cover behind a parked vehicle. From this concealed position, he assumed a shooting stance and unleashed several rounds from a .40 caliber handgun towards three vehicles that were idling nearby, which instinctively began to flee the scene in panic.
Simultaneously, White pursued the retreating vehicles while firing his .380 caliber pistol, contributing to the dangerous exchange of gunfire.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York reported that the gunfire resulted in the recovery of numerous shell casings and bullet fragments at the scene: specifically, at least seven .40 caliber shell casings and two .380 caliber shell casings, alongside two fired bullets and additional bullet fragments. The reckless shooting caused several bullet holes and shattered windows in parked cars along the street, highlighting the indiscriminate nature of the violence.
Tragically, one shot struck a five-year-old girl who was sitting in the back seat of a car. She sustained serious injuries and was urgently transported to a nearby hospital for medical treatment.
Both Morrishow and White were prohibited from possessing firearms or ammunition due to their criminal histories. Morrishow’s prior conviction involved the illegal use and carry of a firearm in connection to a narcotics conspiracy, while White had previously been convicted of attempted first-degree assault with intent to cause serious injury using a weapon.
Both men, aged 27 and from the Bronx, subsequently pleaded guilty to one count of possession of ammunition after a felony conviction. Morrishow is set to be sentenced on June 25, 2025, while White’s sentencing is scheduled for May 20, 2025.