By Sherica Daley | news@queensledger.com

As the breeze from the East River blows into the Hermon A. MacNeil Park in College Point, Queens, members of the community pay respect to the fallen veterans in the 103rd College Point Citizens Parade. On Sunday, May 26th, 2024, members of the community came together to dedicate this day to the departed of the Armed Forces, from past and present. 

This timely tradition in College Point started on June 7th, 1865 to welcome the return of the 34th Light Artillery. The Artillery had 42 members of College Point who were part of this team. Now entering the 103rdyear, the parade that started at 28th Avenue and College Point Avenue, people waved the American Flags with pride and showed their pride for the fallen members of College Point from the Civil War, Vietnam War WWI, and WWII. 

As the parade made its way down College Point Avenue, whistles blew and bells chimed as members of the FDNY Ladder Engine 297 and Ladder 103 stopped to honk their horns and shake hands with children. The FDNY was not the only one that marched in the parade. Queens Borough President Donovan Richards came to visit and meet the members of the College Point community and the families of the fallen veterans in the community. 

The parade continued down to College Point Avenue to Poppenhusen Avenue, where they had the closing ceremony in Hermon A. MacNeil Park. Here, Parade Chairman and President of A Better College Point Civic Association, Jennifer Shannon was the mediator of the closing ceremony. She introduced the College Point Wreaths with the names of all the Veterans that born and raised in College Point, and who are no longer with us. “This was not possible without sponsors,” said Shannon, which includes the World War I Monument located on College Point and 18th Avenue,  College Point Ambulance Corps, St. John’s  Lutheran Church, and St. Fidelis Church. 

The ceremony moved to the closing remarks and speeches. The Closing Prayers were given by Reverend Wilson John Daniel and the Our Father Prayer spoken in English and German, by community member Teresa Vormittag. The introduction of the Grand Marshalls Lucie Shannon, Jennifer’s mother, and Judy Zoldak. 

Next, was the 9-year-old Poppy Queen, Aubrey Rose Leonardo, whose great-grandfathers served in the army in WWI. She took the stage with her speech explaining “Poppy is the flower of remembrance,” she said. Poppies were used as a symbol of remembrance of the fallen on this Memorial Day. 

The closing ceremony had special guests who came to speak to the College Point community. The first guest was Queens Borough President Donovan Richards. “ On a day like this we are reminded, especially with as we look at conflict all around the world, that freedom isn’t free,” said Richards. 

“On a day like this we remember those who never made it back home,” he said. The second guest Councilmember of District 19 Vickie Paladino, who has been marching in the College Point Parade for six years, came to commemorate the community for coming together and showing their pride not only for College Point but for the borough of Queens. 

The final guest Curtis Silwa, founder of the Guardian Angels, took the stage and spoke on the importance of the American Flag, not only for the Memorial Day celebration but for American History. 

As the closing ceremony, took a moment of silence, a message was left onto the community about the sacrifice the veterans made with the message “We will Never Forgot those who gave their lives for our freedom” 

Two men were indicted for the fatal shooting of 19-year-old Joshua Taylor in Middle Village last summer, facing charges of murder and attempted murder.

Shamel Capers, a 24-year-old from Herzl Street in Brooklyn, faces charges of attempted murder in the second degree, reckless endangerment in the first degree, and four counts of criminal posession of a weapon in the second degree. Capers was arraigned on May 21 and could face up to 25 years in prison.

25-year-old Dante Hunter from Mott Haven Avenue in Far Rockaway, Queens, faces charges of  murder in the second degree, attempted murder in the second degree, reckless endangerment in the first degree, and four counts of criminal possession of a weapon in the second degree. Hunter was arraigned on May 20 and faces 25 years to life in prison.

The July 23, 2023 shooting happened at approximately 3:17 a.m. near 79-28 Metropolitan Avenue. The situation started when one of Taylor’s friends threw a drink in the general direction of Caper and Capers’ friend, who were exiting a nearby convenience store. A verbal dispute followed, where Hunter joined Capers. 

After several minutes, that argument escalated into a four-way shootout. Hunter drew his firearm first. 

Taylor was hit by a single round in his chest from the crossfire; he was taken to Elmhurst Hospital, where he was pronounced dead. 

More than two dozen 9mm shell casings were found at the scene. After an investigation. Capers was identified using surveillance footage from nearby locations and financial records for a credit and debit card he used immediately before the shooting. Hunter, meanwhile, was already in custody on a parole warrant at the time of the incident.

Capers served eight years in prison in connection with the 2013 killing of a 14-year-old named D’aja Robinson. He was one of two men convicted for the shooting, but was exonerated in 2022 after prosecuters said that evidence proved the other man was the sole shooter.  

A surveillance video allegedly shows Capers firing a gun, but his attorney denied this in court last week. 

Another individual — 21-year-old Damone Miller from Brooklyn — has also been charged in connection with Taylor’s death. 

The shooting was a shock for Middle Village, a usually quiet and safe area. The Queens Ledger reported at the time that a nearby resident’s car was hit by stray bullets, shattering its side window. 

“Gun violence has caused immense tragedy in our neighborhoods, steering too many of our young people toward choices that negatively impact the rest of their lives,” District Attorney Melinda Katz said. “Following a painstaking process of evidence gathering, we have secured an indictment on very serious charges against both defendants for the early morning shootout that left one person dead. We will continue to dedicate all resources at our disposal to combating the scourge of gun violence in this borough.”

Judge Michael Aloise ordered defendants Hunter and Capers to return to court on June 18. 

Maspeth came out in full force to honor Memorial Day over the weekend!  We took some pictures to commemorate the scene. (All photos courtesy of Celia Bernhardt).