Monday, May 19, 2025
Two men were convicted on April 10 in the fatal shooting of a 20-year-old man and the wounding of three others at an underage party in Valley Stream last summer—an ambush prosecutors say was the product of calculated gang retaliation.
Kyle Matthews and Isaiah Gonzalez, both 23, were found guilty of second-degree murder, conspiracy, and weapons charges after a nearly monthlong trial in Nassau County Court. A third man, Kenny Greene, 24, was acquitted of conspiracy.
“This case is yet another tragic reminder of the kind of devastation gang violence wreaks in our community,” said Nassau County District Attorney Anne T. Donnelly. “These defendants meticulously plotted to murder a member of a rival group in their community. As a result, a young life was taken in the name of gang warfare.”
The gunfire erupted around 8:30 p.m. on Aug. 21, 2023, outside a party illegally organized at a rental hall known as Dopie’s World on Ocean Avenue, where alcohol was sold to minors. The event had been advertised on social media as a “Foam Party” offering free admission for girls during the first hour.
Police officials said the venue was packed with teenagers, many of whom had no ties to gang activity. But the gathering was allegedly hosted by associates of the Crips gang, and that alone may have marked the party—and its attendees—as targets.
A volley of eight bullets from two .380 caliber pistols tore into the crowd, killing 20-year-old Deandre Carter of Brooklyn and injuring three others, including a 12-year-old boy who was struck in the shoulder while standing in a doorway. Two 17-year-old boys from Elmont were also wounded—one shot in the leg, the other in the knee. A 17-year-old girl suffered a hand laceration.
Detective Captain Stephen Fitzpatrick said none of the victims were known gang members, but Carter’s presence at the party may have been enough to make him a target. “Our victim has no listed membership, but he’s at a Crips party, so the perception is that he’s a Crip for being there,” Fitzpatrick said.
Surveillance video captured Matthews and Gonzalez driving a Mercedes-Benz near the venue prior to the shooting, according to prosecutors. Both men fled toward the Queens border immediately afterward, sparking a two-week manhunt.
Matthews, of Uniondale, and an alleged member of the Bloods gang, was arrested on Sept. 6 and arraigned without bail. Gonzalez, of Far Rockaway, was captured two days later. Both men have denied wrongdoing, and Gonzalez also disputes any gang affiliation.
Their convictions mark a grim milestone in a case that ignited concerns over youth safety, gang recruitment, and New York’s bail reform policies. Matthews, in particular, had a troubling history with the law.
Matthews and Gonzalez now face up to 65 years to life in prison at their sentencing on May 9.
“We cannot and will not stand for this type of brutality on our streets,” Donnelly said. “My office remains committed to working with our law enforcement partners to prevent these senseless acts of violence.”
Neighbors had long raised concerns about Dopie’s World and a nearby smoke shop, calling them magnets for underage drinking and violence.
Elizabeth Rios, who lives near the venue, said she shielded her children as gunfire rang out. “Ever since those parties started, it hasn’t been peaceful,” she said. “We knew something like this was coming.”
In the weeks before the shooting, a separate daytime shooting occurred just blocks away. At a community meeting held afterward, residents demanded tighter oversight of local venues and enforcement against alcohol sales to minors.
While officials pointed to bail reform and the suspects’ criminal records as systemic failures, some locals said much earlier warnings were left unheeded.
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