A Brooklyn man has been charged in connection with a daytime shooting that took place near Kelly Playground and a middle school in Manhattan’s Chelsea neighborhood on January 14, 2026. According to the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, Jay Clayton, Michael Zayas allegedly fired a gun ten times in the vicinity of children and was arrested shortly after.
“As alleged, Michael Zayas brazenly and unlawfully carried a firearm into a residential neighborhood—across the street from a playground where children were playing, and just down the street from a middle school—and fired it in the air 10 times,” said U.S. Attorney Jay Clayton. “Zayas’s alleged conduct sowed fear and panic among New York residents and visitors, including hundreds of children at the middle school, which was put into lockdown when the gunfire erupted. Our career prosecutors and dedicated partners will continue to act to bring to justice those who commit gun crimes and ensure that our playgrounds, schools, and streets are safe from threat. That’s what New Yorkers want, and we hear them.”
Michael Alfonso, Acting Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) New York Field Office stated: “This brazen, broad-daylight shooting—mere steps from a school and a playground and allegedly at the hands of a convicted felon—endangered innocent lives and disrupted the safety of our community. Zayas’ swift identification and arrest is a testament to the outstanding collaboration between HSI New York, the NYPD, and our federal law enforcement partners. HSI New York remains steadfast in our commitment to pursuing violent offenders and protecting the public from senseless acts.”
Authorities report that around 2:42 p.m., shots were fired near Kelly Playground at 17th Street and 8th Avenue. Law enforcement recovered ten spent cartridges at the scene. The shooter fled after firing but was later identified as Zayas—a previously convicted felon—through surveillance images showing him entering an apartment building elevator nearby before returning masked toward 9th Avenue after the incident.
Zayas faces one count of possession of ammunition after felony conviction; this charge carries up to 15 years in prison if convicted. Sentencing will be determined by a judge.
The investigation involved cooperation between HSI New York Field Office agents and NYPD officers. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jared Hoffman and Benjamin Levander from the Violent Organizations & Crime Unit.
All allegations referenced are based on statements made in court proceedings or contained within legal complaints; they should be treated as such unless proven otherwise.
