Victim, Celebrating His Birthday, Suffered Severe Brain Damage
Bronx District Attorney Darcel D. Clark today announced that a Bronx man has been
indicted on charges of Attempted Murder and Assault for firing a bullet that struck a 5-year-old
boy in the head, causing severe injuries, in a shooting that was meant to target other individuals.
District Attorney Clark said, “This case is even more sorrowful since the little boy was
celebrating his fifth birthday. On a day that should have been joyful, he was caught in the
crossfire of a violent rampage and will now carry memories of pain instead. Thankfully, he is
out of the hospital and now in rehab but he has a long road to recovery ahead of him. It is now
our job to secure some measure of justice for him and his family as the defendant faces many
years behind bars.”
District Attorney Clark said the defendant, Michael Quiles, 27, of Washington Ave., has
been indicted on three counts of second-degree Attempted Murder, first-degree Assault, two
counts of second-degree Assault, first-degree Reckless Endangerment and two counts of
second-degree Criminal Possession of a Weapon. He was arraigned today before Bronx
Supreme Court Justice George Villegas and was remanded. He faces up to 25 years in prison
if convicted on the top charge. He is due back on October 30, 2017.
According to the investigation, on June 5, 2017, in the area of 167th Street and
Washington Ave., Quiles fired multiple shots during an argument with two men. One of his
bullets struck Jaheem Hunter, who was hospitalized with severe brain damage.
District Attorney Clark thanked Detectives Jose Valdez
of the 42nd Precinct and Keith Walker of the Bronx Homicide Squad.
An indictment is an accusatory instrument and not proof of a defendant’s guilt.
