A Bedford-Stuyvesant man was sentenced to 12 years in prison on Friday following his conviction for second-degree attempted murder for opening fire outside a neighborhood bar and striking a man in the leg.
Brooklyn District Attorney Eric Gonzalez identified the defendant as Hajj Lovick, 48, of Bedford-Stuyvesant. He was sentenced by Brooklyn Supreme Court Justice Jane Tully to 12 years in prison and five years’ post-release supervision, according to a press release.
The defendant was convicted of second-degree attempted murder, first-degree attempted assault, second-degree assault, first-degree reckless endangerment, second-degree criminal possession of a weapon, fourth-degree criminal possession of a weapon and first- and second-degree criminal use of a firearm on December 11, 2024, following a jury trial.
"The defendant’s decision to open fire over a petty argument not only caused serious harm to the victim but endangered innocent lives in our community," Gonzalez said. "This brazen disregard for safety is unacceptable. As Brooklyn reached the lowest number of shootings ever recorded last year, we remain steadfast in our commitment to holding individuals who perpetrate gun violence accountable to ensure our borough remains a safer place for all.”
According to the evidence, on June 15, 2023, at approximately 1:40am, the defendant stepped out of Lover’s Rock, a bar located at 419 Tompkins Ave. in Bedford-Stuyvesant with the victim, a 51-year-old man, and the two men engaged in a verbal dispute. The defendant was armed with a knife and feinted use of that knife against the victim, as if he was going to stab him. The victim was unarmed.
After the dispute cooled down, the defendant left the vicinity of Lover’s Rock and entered a nearby building. Minutes later, the defendant returned with a gun and fired twice toward the victim and several bystanders. The victim was struck once in his right shin. No one else was struck. Video surveillance captured the moments before the shooting, the shooting and the aftermath of the shooting.
The victim was taken to Kings County Hospital and was treated and released.
The defendant fled the scene and was arrested on June 19, 2023, following an investigation. A knife was recovered from the defendant at the time of his arrest.
