New York’s “Raise the Age” law contributes to a shocking 136% increase in minors caught with guns, as two 13-year-olds are arrested for murdering an innocent plumber in a brazen Bronx shooting.
Key Takeaways
- Two 13-year-old boys have been arrested for the fatal shooting of 28-year-old Daoud Marji, an innocent bystander and plumber’s apprentice, in the Bronx.
- NYPD Commissioner Jessica Tisch directly links New York’s “Raise the Age” law to the alarming surge in youth violence, with underage shooters increasing by 192% between 2018 and 2024.
- Juvenile gun possession has increased by 136% and juvenile victims of gun violence have risen by 81% over the same period, showing the devastating impact of progressive criminal justice policies.
- The Bronx has seen four adolescents under 14 arrested for similar violent incidents within just six weeks, highlighting the deteriorating safety situation in Democrat-run New York City.
- The murdered victim’s father had previously warned his son about visiting the Bronx due to safety concerns, underscoring how everyday citizens are aware of the rising danger that politicians refuse to address.
13-Year-Old Killers: The Face of NYC’s Youth Violence Crisis
Two 13-year-old boys now face murder charges in the fatal shooting of Daoud Marji, a 28-year-old plumber’s apprentice from Yonkers who was killed by a stray bullet while visiting a friend in the Bronx. The second teen was apprehended at LaGuardia Airport as he returned from Miami, highlighting the brazen nature of these young offenders. Both teens face charges of second-degree murder, first-degree manslaughter, and criminal possession of a firearm, despite their shockingly young age. The surveillance video from the incident shows Marji was struck in the head while simply returning to a convenience store, becoming yet another innocent victim of New York City’s escalating youth violence.
The shooting also injured a 33-year-old woman who was nearby when the violence erupted. According to police reports, four teens wearing ski masks and dark sweatsuits fled the scene in a gray Honda Civic after the shooting on University Avenue near West Kingsbridge Road. Authorities say the two arrested teens were “acting in concert” during the shooting, though it remains unclear which one fired the fatal shot that killed Marji, who later died at St. Barnabas Hospital. This tragedy represents just one incident in a disturbing pattern of juvenile violence that has exploded across the city.
“Babies Killing Babies”: Commissioner Blames “Raise the Age” Law
NYPD Commissioner Jessica Tisch has directly linked the surge in youth violence to New York’s controversial “Raise the Age” law, which raised the age of criminal responsibility to 18 years old. This progressive policy has effectively created a revolving door justice system that returns violent juveniles to the streets instead of holding them accountable. Tisch revealed shocking statistics showing that between 2018 and 2024, the number of minors caught with guns increased by 136%, while the number of underage shooters rose by a staggering 192%, and juvenile victims of gun violence increased by 81%.
“These are babies killing babies and it has to stop,” said Jessica Tisch, Police Commissioner.
The Bronx has become the epicenter of this juvenile crime wave, with the two arrested teens among four adolescents under 14 arrested in the borough for similar violent incidents within just six weeks. In separate recent incidents, a 15-year-old boy was shot and wounded, and two 17-year-old boys were hit by stray bullets. Neither of the 17-year-old victims had criminal histories and were not believed to be the intended targets, further demonstrating how everyday New Yorkers are increasingly caught in the crossfire of this unchecked violence.
A Father’s Heartbreak: The Human Cost of Failed Policies
The human toll of these failed progressive policies is devastating. Saed Marji, the father of the slain plumber’s apprentice, expressed his overwhelming grief and revealed that he had previously warned his son about the dangers of visiting the Bronx. His son’s death represents the tragic consequences of Democrat-run cities that prioritize coddling criminals over protecting law-abiding citizens. The violence in New York City has become so normalized that residents now actively avoid certain areas, effectively surrendering parts of the city to criminal elements.
“I’m a strong man, but I’m shocked. I have to take care of my family. My wife, she’s very bad. What am I going to do? He was my blood,” said Saed Marji, father of the victim.
This incident wasn’t an isolated tragedy. It was the second case of random gun violence in New York City in just two days, following the fatal shooting of a 61-year-old bodega owner, Excenia Mette. The city’s leadership continues to champion soft-on-crime policies while ordinary citizens pay the ultimate price. President Trump’s warnings about Democrat-run cities becoming lawless zones have proven prophetic, as New York’s progressive experiment with juvenile justice reform has created a generation of young offenders who face few consequences for even the most heinous crimes.
The Devastating Statistics Behind the Headlines
The numbers tell a clear and disturbing story about the consequences of progressive criminal justice reforms. According to Commissioner Tisch, the 136% increase in minors caught with guns since 2018 coincides directly with the implementation of the “Raise the Age” law. The 192% increase in underage shooters over the same period represents a catastrophic failure of public policy that Democrats refuse to acknowledge. Instead of protecting communities, these policies have emboldened young criminals who know they’ll face minimal consequences for their actions.
“The troubling violence comes just days after Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch revealed that youth violence has skyrocketed in the Big Apple — and placed the blame on the state’s contentious ‘Raise the Age’ law,” said Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch.
With 28 children under 18 having been shooting victims this year already and 17 adolescents arrested for shootings, the crisis shows no signs of abating under current policies. The shooting death of Daoud Marji represents the human face of these statistics – a hardworking young man with a bright future, gunned down by children who should have been in school rather than roaming the streets with firearms. Until New York’s leadership acknowledges that their permissive approach to juvenile crime is failing, more innocent victims will suffer the consequences of these misguided policies.
