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“Senseless gun violence rips our communities apart and causes needless grief,” DA Katz said.
By Forum Staff
A Jamaica man has pleaded guilty in the March 2019 shooting death of a 27-year-old man, Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz recently announced.
Keanu Suckoo, 21, pleaded guilty last week to manslaughter in the first degree. Suckoo will be sentenced on Oct. 25. Queens Supreme Court Justice Kenneth Holder indicated he will order Suckoo to be incarcerated for 19 years, to be followed by five years’ post-release supervision.
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The altercation began in the vicinity of 145th Avenue and 180th Street.
According to the charges, soon after sunset on March 5, 2019, the victim, Pernell Cudjoe, was inside of a vehicle with his brother, in the vicinity of 145th Avenue and 180th Street when Suckoo approached the vehicle. An altercation ensued and Suckoo pulled out a gun. Cudjoe and his brother both ran down the street away from Suckoo, who fired two shots at the victim. Cudjoe was struck once in the back. He was taken to an area hospital but succumbed to the injury.
As outlined in the charges, video surveillance from the scene of the shooting showed Suckoo pulling out the gun and shooting at Cudjoe and his brother.
“The defendant in this case has now admitted to shooting and killing a neighborhood man. Senseless gun violence rips our communities apart and causes needless grief,” Katz said. “My Office continues to work diligently to get illegal firearms off our streets and to cut off access to these weapons of death.”
