NEW YORK (WPIX) — A 9-year-old girl was forced to call 911 on her birthday after her dad fatally shot her mom and two of her siblings before he killed himself in Brooklyn, police said Tuesday.
The victims were shot shortly after 11 p.m. Monday in an apartment in the Van Dyke Houses in the Brownsville neighborhood. Officers found 45-year-old Rasheeda Barzey, 20-year-old Solei Spears and 16-year-old Chloe Spears dead from gunshot wounds.
Police said 46-year-old Joseph McCrimon was found shot to death in a walkway nearby. Officers believe McCrimon shot the women and the teenager, and then shot himself.
“Daddy’s coming for my birthday. He didn’t bring presents,” the 9-year-old girl said on her call to police, according to Chief of Detectives James Essig.
There was no official history of domestic incidents for the family, but family told police there was a two decade long rocky relationship between McCrimons and the mother of his child.
Deputy Inspector Rohan Griffin of PSA 2 talked with 9-year-old girl after police arrived.
“She is a tremendously brave, brave young lady: very smart, very bright,” he said. “We are going to do all we can to ensure she has a bright future.”
NYPD Commissioner Dermot Shea spent the morning reviewing body camera video from the scene.
“It would tear your heart out to see the young girl from that crime,” he said.
Shea visited the Van Dyke Houses Tuesday afternoon. Several community activists, including Daniel Goodine of the organization Men Elevating Leadership, were also at the scene all day to help anyone struggling with the deadly shooting.
“We are here together, trying to pull together,” he said. “I am just praying for the family.”
Stephanie McGraw, founder of the domestic violence support organization We All Really Matter — or WARM — said the lesson of this tragedy is emphasizing the need for vigilance among neighbors.
“By the time gunplay comes into play, by the time choking comes into play, by the time someone pulls out a knife on you, that domestic violence and that incident, and getting to that moment — there were hundreds of flags before that,” she said. “I met a woman one time, she said domestic violence is not my problem because it’s not happening in my house, and it’s not happening to me. But if it’s happening in your building and in your community, and if it’s happening right around the corner, then it’s all of our business.”
If you or someone you know are dealing with domestic violence, click here for resources. If you are having suicidal thoughts, please click here for resources.