Man sentenced 10 years to life for 2022 deadly shooting of 11-year-old
Tay was waiting for her family outside of a nail salon on Westchester Avenue. Her family said no punishment can ever bring her back, but that the sentencing gives them a sense of peace.
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The heartbreaking case of the 2022 deadly shooting of 11-year-old Kyhara Tay came one step closer to an end on Wednesday, but only the defendant who pulled the trigger was officially sentenced.
Matthew Godwin will spend 10 years to life in prison, while Omar Bojang still awaits his sentence. Godwin is believed to have been shooting at a 13-year-old boy on the back of a moped driven by Bojang when Tay was caught in the crossfire on May 16, 2022.
Tay was waiting for her family outside of a nail salon on Westchester Avenue. Her family said no punishment can ever bring her back, but that the sentencing gives them a sense of peace.
“The sentence they have is not going to bring Kyhara back,” said the victim’s mother, Yahisha Gomez. “We will forever fight for her name.”
Bojang was only 18 years old and Godwin was only 15 years old at the time of the shooting.
“Their actions ended the life of a young girl forever and forever destroyed her family and loved ones,” said Bronx DA Darcel Clark. “And it also destroyed the lives of those defendants, as well as they face prison for life.”
Bojang, however, was not sentenced. He is also facing additional charges and according to Judge McCormack, Bojang had reportedly not been cooperating with probation while in custody. The judge stated he would give Bojang another chance to do so then be sentenced next month. His previous plea deal agreement was for 15 years to life in prison, which McCormack said he would uphold as long as Bojang followed conditions after being remanded.
In court, Judge James McCormack said that he would allow Godwin to finish his GED program while in custody before starting his sentencing. Godwin expressed remorse for what happened that day, saying he never intended to hurt Tay and asked her family for forgiveness. Bojang also apologized to the family, stating that he was raised “better than that.”
Bojang is due back in court May 14.
