NEW YORK (1010 WINS) — A Queens man was sentenced to 18 years in prison for fatally shooting a college athlete after a dispute in a deli, Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz announced.
“The defendant has now been held accountable for displaying a blatant disregard for public safety on three separate occasions,” D.A. Katz said. “Within a span of a few months, he fired a gun at a vehicle, broke into the home of his estranged ex-girlfriend, and shot a young man following a brush of shoulders. The defendant has been sentenced by the court and will spend a lengthy time in prison as punishment for his callous actions.”
The Laurelton man, 28-year-old Jeffrey Thurston, and the victim bumped into each other while they were both at a deli at Springfield Boulevard and 136th Avenue on July 27, 2020 around 4:30 p.m.
Both Thurston and the victim, who was a defensive end for the SUNY Buffalo football team, engaged in a physical altercation. The victim then chased Thurston out of the store and tackled him onto the sidewalk.
Video surveillance captured the fight where Thurston was seen regaining his footing and starting to walk away from the victim when he suddenly turned around, pulled out a gun and shot into the victim’s abdomen.
Thurston fled the scene but was arrested two days later by the Regional Fugitive Task Force of the New York City Police Department.
Before the fatal shooting of the football player, Thurston was involved in two other incidents for which he will also serve time. On March 13, 2020, Thurston broke into his estranged girlfriend’s home, took out a knife and choked her six-year-old son. On July 8, 2020, Thurston fired a gun at a vehicle with passengers inside. There was no one injured during that shooting.
In May, Thurston pleaded guilty to several charges related to all three incidents including attempted murder, weapon possession and endangering the welfare of a child. Along with an 18-year prison sentence, Thurston was given five years’ post-release supervision.
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