MANHATTAN - An Alphabet City teen was shot to death by a group of thugs who robbed him for his costume jewelry in Staten Island steps from his aunt's apartment, his family said.
Shytik Bowman, 17, a junior at Legacy HS, was found shot in the torso in front of 38 Holland Ave., in the Richmond Terrace section, at 11:37 p.m. Thursday, police said.
Bowman's father, Kendrick Moore, 44, said that the teen, who was just weeks shy of his 18th birthday, had been visiting his aunt with his sister when he went downstairs to a nearby store.
"He was going to get something to drink and that's when they ambushed him," said Moore.
"They robbed him and shot him and left him there to die."
Police could not immediately confirm that robbery was the motive, but the Staten Island Advance said that was apparently the case.
Moore said that his son, who had been wearing costume jewelry, had some troubles in his past, but was on the right track.
"He got himself together. He was on the right path," Moore said. "He loves art."
The dad, who used to work at Thomson Reuters, added that his family will be struggling to arrange for a funeral for the boy, who is one of seven siblings.
"They killed my son," he said. "It's senseless."
