Felon Sentenced to 10 Years’ Imprisonment for Possessing Firearm Used in 2018 Shooting in Queens

Mark J. Lesko, Acting United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, announced the sentence.

“Today’s sentence is intended to serve notice to repeat offenders that wielding a loaded weapon and deliberately shooting a victim with it may result in a federal prosecution and lengthy prison sentence,” stated Acting U.S. Attorney Lesko.  “This Office is committed to working with its law enforcement partners to reduce gun violence and make our communities safer.”  Mr. Lesko expressed his grateful appreciation to the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the New York City Police Department (NYPD) for their outstanding investigative work on the case.

The evidence at trial proved that on July 20, 2018, Shipp, also known as “Pump,” shot the victim in the abdomen on 147^th Street in South Jamaica. The victim collapsed two blocks away and called 911. Shipp then stood over him, holding his gun as the victim begged for his life. While on the line with the 911 operator, the victim spoke directly to Shipp, stating: ‘I don’t want to die, Pump. Please, I don’t want to die, Pump.” Shipp’s gun jammed, and he fled the scene, tossing the gun in a dumpster. Later, a civilian found the gun and contacted the NYPD. Ballistics examiners determined that a shell casing found where the victim was shot was consistent with being fired from the gun found in the dumpster. A search of Shipp’s Facebook account also revealed a message in which he admitted to a friend that he was on the run because of the shooting. The victim survived.  Prior to possessing this firearm and shooting the victim, Shipp had been convicted of more than 20 offenses in Virginia, New Jersey and New York. 

This case was brought as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone.  As part of the program, U.S. Attorneys’ Offices work in partnership with federal, state, local and tribal law enforcement and their local communities to develop effective, locally based strategies to reduce violent crime.

The government’s case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Philip Pilmar and Michael W. Gibaldi.

The Defendant:

ALONZO SHIPP (also known as “Pump”)
Age: 33
Richmond, Virginia

E.D.N.Y. Docket No. 19-CR-029 (RPK)