Kareem Wilson

Kareem Wilson was a man committed to building a better future for himself and his family. The 31-year-old Black man from East Elmhurst, Queens, was a devoted father to a 12-year-old daughter and had recently embarked on his junior year at Berkeley College, where he was studying psychology. His family remembered him as a motivated and happy person who, despite past imperfections, was on a positive path. According to his uncle, “He wasn’t a perfect person, but he was on the perfect road.” That road was tragically cut short in the early morning hours of Sunday, September 22, 2024, when he was killed trying to de-escalate a conflict.

The night before, Kareem had been out with his girlfriend and some college friends at the Wave Juice Bar & Lounge, an after-hours club at 125-22 Merrick Boulevard in the St. Albans neighborhood of Queens. Family members said that an argument broke out inside the venue, and Kareem attempted to intervene, trying to be a peacemaker. The dispute spilled outside onto the sidewalk, and the violence escalated. At approximately 6:15 a.m., as the sun was beginning to rise, shots were fired.

Police from the 113th Precinct responded to a 911 call reporting a person shot. When they arrived, they found Kareem on the blood-spattered sidewalk with gunshot wounds to his chest and leg. Emergency medical services rushed him to Jamaica Hospital Medical Center, but his injuries were too severe, and he was pronounced dead a short time later. The shooter fled the scene, reportedly escaping in a dark-colored sedan that was last seen heading toward Farmers Boulevard.

Homicide detectives began their investigation at the scene, which is located in a busy commercial area of Queens. A handgun was recovered from the sidewalk, though authorities did not immediately confirm if it was the weapon used to kill Kareem or if it belonged to him. The area was no stranger to violence; the shooting occurred just feet from where another young man had been killed in a similar incident the previous year. The neighborhood, a mix of residential homes, small businesses, and places of worship, was once again a backdrop for a senseless loss of life.

In the days following the shooting, Kareem’s family and friends gathered at his East Elmhurst home, grappling with the sudden and violent loss. His mother was too distraught to speak. His uncle shared memories of a man dedicated to his education and his daughter. The pain of his death rippled through his community. His Masonic brothers from Huntington 124 MWPHGLNY organized a GoFundMe campaign to support his family with funeral expenses, remembering him as a brother and friend who "lost his life while trying to save another."

The New York Police Department continued its investigation and soon identified a suspect in the killing: 32-year-old Nathan Mahoney. However, in the initial reports following the identification, police confirmed that Mahoney had not been apprehended and remained at large.

As of late September 2024, the investigation into Kareem Wilson's death was ongoing. No arrests had been publicly announced, and the suspect sought by police was still wanted for questioning. The case remains a painful open wound for his family, who are left to mourn a man who was striving for a brighter future, only to have it extinguished while trying to make peace. The NYPD has asked that anyone with information regarding the homicide call the Crime Stoppers Hotline at 1-800-577-TIPS (8477).