QUEENS, N.Y. — Four alleged members of the 007 gang were indicted on murder charges in the 2023 shooting death of 16-year-old Claudia Quatey, an innocent bystander killed when gunmen targeted a rival gang member in St. Albans.
Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz announced the indictments on Wednesday as part of an ongoing crackdown on gang violence that has plagued the borough. The case highlights the deadly consequences of gang warfare, where innocent victims become casualties in territorial disputes between rival crews. Quatey was seated directly behind the intended target when multiple rounds were fired into her vehicle, striking her in the head.
The May 10, 2023 shooting occurred around 7:30 p.m. near P.S. 15 on Lucas Street following a planned confrontation between rival gang members. Messiah Randall, 19, Nicolson Pierrimas, 20, and Zaire Rolley, 21, were arraigned in Queens Supreme Court on March 11 on charges including murder, conspiracy and criminal possession of a weapon. A fourth defendant, Pointdujour, 19, remains in custody on another matter and will be arraigned later. “As alleged, the four defendants acted in concert to plan and carry out the murder of a perceived gang rival when they instead shot and killed 16-year-old Claudia Quatey,” Katz said during the announcement.
According to the investigation, the incident began when two groups of teens arranged to meet near the elementary school for what prosecutors described as a planned confrontation. After the meeting concluded, Quatey and four friends entered a blue Hyundai Venue, with the teenager taking the rear passenger seat directly behind a reputed member of the rival TopOpp gang who was seated in front of her. Seconds after the vehicle drove away from the scene, Randall and Pierrimas allegedly opened fire, sending multiple rounds through the car’s windows and body panels. The four defendants then fled the area as witnesses called for emergency assistance.
Quatey was rushed to a nearby hospital with a gunshot wound to the head but succumbed to her injuries several days later. The shooting represents part of escalating gang violence that has drawn increased attention from Queens law enforcement officials. A year-long investigation dubbed Operation Shadyville resulted in indictments against 32 alleged members of the Bad-Co Ballout Gang and affiliated Crips sets in November 2025, with defendants accused of at least 13 shootings since 2021. That probe, which Queens officials called the largest single gang takedown in the borough’s district attorney’s office history, involved three homicides and multiple attacks on teenagers and innocent bystanders.
The three defendants who appeared in court were remanded without bail, with Randall and Pierrimas scheduled to return March 16 and Rolley set for April 15. If convicted on all charges, each defendant faces a potential sentence of up to 25 years to life in prison. The 007 gang, according to law enforcement sources, has been engaged in an ongoing conflict with the TopOpp crew over territory and drug sales in southeastern Queens neighborhoods. Court documents indicate the defendants specifically targeted the vehicle because they believed it contained rival gang members, though prosecutors said they made no effort to confirm the identities of all occupants before opening fire.
Community members in St. Albans expressed frustration over the continued gang violence affecting their neighborhood, particularly incidents that claim innocent lives. Local resident Patricia Williams, who lives near the shooting scene, told reporters she heard multiple gunshots that evening but initially thought they were fireworks. “These kids are destroying our community,” Williams said. “An innocent child lost her life because of this senseless violence.” The area around P.S. 15 has seen increased police patrols since the shooting, with officers conducting regular sweeps for illegal weapons and monitoring known gang gathering spots.
The case remains under active investigation by Queens detectives and the NYPD’s gang unit, with prosecutors indicating additional charges or defendants may be forthcoming. All four defendants are being held without bail as the legal proceedings continue through the spring court calendar.
We need a big increase in use of the death penalty, especially in “bleeding heart” states.
Just, fast, fair and sure, with a clear end result, is needed.