Brooklyn officials announced that a man has been sentenced to 18 years in prison after pleading guilty in connection with the shooting death of skateboarder Ethan Williams in Bushwick.
The case was handled in Brooklyn Supreme Court, where the defendant, William Freeman, 30, admitted to first degree manslaughter earlier this year.
According to reports, he was sentenced by Justice Deepa Ambekar and will also face five years of post release supervision after serving his prison term.
According to prosecutors, Ethan Williams, a 20 year old Indiana University student, was in New York City for his first visit when the shooting happened.
He was sitting outside on a stoop at 42 Eldert Street in Bushwick during the early morning hours of October 24, 2020. He was with a group of friends who were staying together in an Airbnb nearby.
At around 2:30 a.m., gunfire was directed at the group.
Ethan was struck in the chest and later died from his injuries. The others with him managed to get away from the scene.
Authorities said the person responsible left the area after the shooting.
The investigation continued for years before an arrest was made in November 2022 when police stopped a vehicle in Bushwick and took William Freeman into custody.
During the investigation, prosecutors said Freeman told authorities he believed someone in the group was connected to the death of a relative weeks earlier.
He later admitted that he fired toward the group based on that belief.
Brooklyn District Attorney Eric Gonzalez described Ethan as a young student who had come to New York to experience the city and spend time doing what he enjoyed.
He said the incident took the life of someone who had no connection to the situation that led to the shooting.
Gonzalez added that the sentence is meant to hold the defendant responsible for what happened and that the family continues to deal with the loss.
The investigation was carried out by detectives from the New York City Police Department, including officers from the 83rd Precinct and Brooklyn North Homicide. Detectives worked through the case over time, which eventually led to the arrest and guilty plea.
The case was prosecuted by members of the Brooklyn District Attorney’s Homicide Bureau, who presented the evidence that led to the conviction and sentencing earlier this year.
Ethan’s family continues to remember him as a college student with creative interests and strong ties to the people around him.
His death has left a lasting impact on those who knew him, both in Indiana and in New York where the incident took place.