A Jamaican mother, Nadine McKenzie, has been awarded US$9.6 million by a federal judge in Westchester County, New York, following the tragic death of her 13-year-old daughter, Shamoya McKenzie, in a gang-related shooting in Mount Vernon on New Year’s Eve in 2016.
The award, one of the largest for a young person in Westchester’s history, seeks to hold the perpetrators accountable for their actions. Four men—Sincere Savoy, David Hardy, Marquis Collier, and Jermaine Hughley—were convicted and sentenced for their roles in the incident, with prison terms ranging from 22 to 31 years.
Jamaican-American Damian Williams, the former United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, had announced the charges.
According to court documents, the breakdown of the damages includes:
- US$1.75 million in compensatory damages, awarded jointly and severally against all four men.
- Punitive damages of US$2.625 million against Hardy, and US$1.75 million each against Collier, Hughley, and Savoy.
- Post-judgment interest calculated from the entry of the judgment until payment.
On the day of the shooting, the convicted men, members of the Goonies street gang, attempted to kill a rival gang member in broad daylight, firing multiple shots. While their target survived, a stray bullet struck Shamoya, who was sitting in the passenger seat of her mother’s car after basketball practice. Shamoya died from her injuries, devastating her family and community.
Nadine McKenzie, who filed a wrongful death lawsuit against the men, also secured a confidential settlement with the City of Mount Vernon. Despite her immense loss, she publicly forgave her daughter’s killers in 2022, saying, “I know God has a great plan for me. It’s hard, but I thank God for closure.”
Shamoya, born to Jamaican parents, dreamed of playing professional basketball for the New York Liberty in the WNBA and representing Jamaica’s national women’s team. She was posthumously honored by the University of Connecticut Women’s Basketball Team and the New York Knicks.
In her memory, the Shamoya McKenzie Foundation was established to award scholarships and recognize community leaders. Shamoya was also accorded a state funeral, with the Jamaican government contributing US$6,000 toward the arrangements.
McKenzie, who hails from Manchester, Jamaica, and migrated to the United States in 1997, expressed gratitude for the support she received. Her attorney, Stephen Drummond, highlighted the significance of the court’s decision, calling it a landmark ruling in Westchester County.
