Brooklyn gang member pleads guilty for role in mass shooting inside Crown Heights lounge
Timothy Spence and other 5-9 Brims gang members exchanged gunfire with a rival gang on Aug. 17, 2025, inside Taste of the City Lounge. Prosecutors say 40 shots were fired within six seconds, killing three people and wounding ten others.
More Stories
A Brooklyn gang member pleaded guilty Tuesday for his role in a mass shooting inside a Crown Heights lounge, according to the United States Attorney's Office for the Eastern District of New York.
Timothy Spence and other 5-9 Brims gang members exchanged gunfire with a rival gang on Aug. 17, 2025, inside Taste of the City Lounge. Prosecutors say 40 shots were fired within six seconds.
"As part of a gang dispute, Spence and others opened fire in the middle of a crowded bar, leaving three people dead and 10 other injured victims," said United States Attorney Nocella. "As today's guilty plea demonstrates, our office is committed to prosecuting all gang-related gun violence and holding accountable those who perpetrate it."
Prosecutors say Spence, 21, and others joined in on the 3 a.m. gunfight started by Marvin St. Louis, of the 5-9 Brims, and Jamel Childs, of the Folk Nation Gangster Disciples, also known as "GD."
The devastating scene was captured on surveillance video, which shows people running for cover as bullets spray the packed room.
Authorities say Amadou Diallo, 27, an Uber Eats delivery driver, was killed in the crossfire outside the lounge.
Gunmen Louis, 19, and Childs, 35, did not survive.
A prayer service was held for Diallo five days later. Family members, including Diallo's brother, spoke about his legacy.
“My brother was a cheerful person who likes to help others, who was always at the service of others. He is someone who has always supported me. He is more than a brother to me… he is my confidant, my advisor," the brother said.
Spence pleaded guilty to assault in-aid-of racketeering and discharging a firearm during a crime of violence. He will serve a minimum of ten years behind bars and faces a maximum sentence of life imprisonment.
