Teen Arrested in Fatal Scooter Shooting Linked to Online Dispute
A 17-year-old associate of the Crips gang has been arrested and charged with murder in the death of a 14-year-old boy in Queens, with new details revealing the motive stemmed from an online argument, not a robbery.
Police arrested a 17-year-old suspect on Tuesday in connection with the fatal shooting of 14-year-old Malakai Adams, who was killed on Sept. 21 in Edgemere, Queens. The suspect, identified as an associate of the Crips gang, has been charged with murder. Authorities now state the motive for the killing was an online dispute between the two teenagers, contradicting earlier reports that suggested a scooter robbery gone wrong.
The suspect was apprehended at his home around 11:30 a.m. He is accused of shooting Adams in the back while the victim was riding his scooter and then fleeing on the victim's scooter. Adams was transported to Long Island Jewish Hospital, where he was pronounced dead.
Law enforcement sources indicated the suspect had a prior encounter with law enforcement in July 2025, when he was found with a loaded .22-caliber pistol after police stopped him for firing fireworks at passers-by. The outcome of that case is not public due to the suspect's age. While associated with the Crips, the teen is not listed in the NYPD's official gang database.
The shooting occurred around 3:40 p.m. near Ocean Bay Apartments on Beach Channel Drive. Adams reportedly attempted to ride away before being shot. Following the incident, the suspect took Adams' scooter and fled eastbound on Norton Avenue, according to police.
Adams' mother, Alexis Credle, expressed her grief on a GoFundMe page established for her son's burial, describing him as her "beautiful son" who was "taken from me far too soon."
The teen suspect was awaiting arraignment following his arrest.