Ethan Williams

A lifelong dream to visit New York City turned into a tragedy for Ethan Williams, a 20-year-old white male from Indianapolis, on October 24, 2020. The Indiana University sophomore film student was on his first trip to the city, a place he had dreamed of seeing since he was a boy. He and his friends had traveled from Indiana and were staying at an Airbnb in the Bushwick neighborhood of Brooklyn, hoping to film skateboarding videos. Williams was remembered by his family as a kind and compassionate young man who was passionate about filmmaking, loved people, and was active in his community, even working with local officials to combat violence.

In the early morning hours, at approximately 2:30 a.m., Williams and his friends were sitting on the front stoop of their rental on Eldert Street when gunfire erupted. Williams was struck in the chest by a bullet. His friends tried to get him inside for cover, but he was gravely wounded. He was rushed to Wyckoff Heights Medical Center, but he did not survive his injuries. Police believed from the beginning that he was an innocent bystander and not the intended target of the shooting.

For two years, the case remained without an arrest, leaving his family and friends waiting for answers. A break finally came on November 3, 2022, when the New York City Police Department arrested William Freeman, then 26, of Gravesend, Brooklyn, during a traffic stop. According to prosecutors, Freeman confessed to the crime, stating that he had opened fire on the group in a case of mistaken identity. He allegedly believed that someone on the stoop was responsible for his cousin's death that had occurred a few weeks earlier.

Following his arrest, William Freeman was arraigned on two counts of second-degree murder and two counts of second-degree criminal possession of a weapon. He pleaded not guilty to the charges and was ordered to be held without bail. His defense attorney argued that Freeman's confession was false and coerced.

On March 10, 2026, William Freeman pleaded guilty to first-degree manslaughter. At his sentencing on June 11, 2026, Williams's family spoke of their devastating loss but also publicly forgave Freeman, urging him to become a better person. Freeman expressed his remorse for the killing. Brooklyn Supreme Court Justice Deepa Ambekar sentenced him to 18 years in prison, followed by five years of post-release supervision. The case was closed as of June 2026.