Robert Williams, 20, was shot and killed outside the Umbrella Hotel in Kew Gardens in the early hours of January 1, 2021. He and friends had been celebrating what would have been his 21st birthday when an argument in the hotel lobby as they were leaving to get food escalated. Shortly after 1 a.m., gunfire erupted; Williams was struck and died at the scene. Two other men were shot and taken to local hospitals.

Family and friends remembered Williams, known as Dre, as a kind-hearted young man who played quarterback and captained the Rosedale Jets. Police initially said they were searching for multiple suspects after the shooting, and the victim’s family later filed a wrongful death lawsuit against the Umbrella Hotel alleging inadequate security.