Two teens who admitted killing an 11-year-old girl with a stray bullet during a 2022 Bronx shootout were sentenced in court Wednesday, April 23—and also faced the anguish of the child’s grieving family.
Matthew Godwin, who was 15 at the time of the fatal shooting, pleaded guilty in March to firing the deadly shots on May 16, 2022. His accomplice, then-18-year-old Omar Bojang, admitted to driving the scooter from which Godwin opened fire.
The intended target was a 13-year-old boy, but the bullet struck Kyhara Tay in the stomach as the teens were riding along Westchester Avenue in Longwood looking for a rival gang member. The young girl, who was waiting for friends outside a nail salon, died shortly afterward, leaving her family devastated.
“This pain has brought us anger, restless nights, anxiety and depression,” Tay’s mother, Yahisha Gomez, tearfully told the court. “You denied her the opportunity to graduate, to fall in love, to live life — they took away all of her dreams.”
After her emotional statement, Gomez collapsed into the arms of Bronx District Attorney Darcel Clark, who was present at the sentencing in Bronx Criminal Court.
Godwin’s defense attorney argued that the teen has shown remorse and is working toward self-improvement while incarcerated, including efforts to earn his GED. In court, Godwin addressed the family directly.
“Dear family of Kyhara Tay, I am so sorry for what I have done and the pain I have caused you. I’m also very disappointed in myself and I take full responsibility,” he said. “I never intended to hurt your little girl. I’m so sorry I hope that one day you will be able to forgive me.”
Godwin was sentenced to 10 years to life in prison. However, Judge Joseph McCormack delayed the sentence until Godwin receives his GED this spring—a decision that left Tay’s family and the district attorney visibly frustrated.
Bojang, too, expressed regret in court.
“I’m sincerely sorry. The loss and the pain that I caused to families, unimaginable and relentless. I just want to pay my dues to society,” he said.
But Judge McCormack showed less leniency in Bojang’s case. Citing a history of offenses, including a 2020 shooting, and his refusal to speak with a probation officer as required by his plea deal, the judge postponed sentencing. He gave Bojang one final chance to comply—warning that failure to do so could result in a harsher sentence than the agreed-upon 15 years to life.
“That’s a matter for the judge to decide whether or not to grant that opportunity,” DA Clark said. “He just decided to grant him the opportunity. I hope he takes it because if not, the judge does have the power to sentence him to something more.”
Clark emphasized the impact the killing has had—not only on the Tay family but on the wider community.
“An innocent girl didn’t get a chance to grow up because she was shot dead on a spring afternoon,” she said. “Her death is a profound tragedy, especially considering the ages of everyone involved.”
The district attorney praised Tay’s family for their strength and activism, saying they have worked to ensure her memory lives on.
“Today’s sentence is the culmination of justice, but this is not the final chapter of Kyhara’s life story,” Clark added. “Her family turned their pain into purpose by speaking out against gun violence. Through their voice, Kyhara’s legacy will live on.”
Christian Murray contributed to this story
