A 16-year-old aspiring rapper and alleged gang member charged with shooting a New York City cop in the Bronx is walking free on bond Thursday, infuriating the union representing NYPD officers.
Camrin Williams - aka C Blu - was locked up in a Brooklyn juvenile detention center on gun and assault charges for shooting Officer Kaseem Pennant, 27, on January 18.
Just nine days later, he posted the $250,000 bail using money from his record deal advance on his contract with Interscope Records and has walked free.
Williams clashed with police officers last week when they responded to reports of unrest and he refused to comply with their orders to remove his hands from his pockets.
He began fighting with one of the officers and during the tussle, he accidentally shot Pennant - a single bullet struck and wounded Pennant and hit Williams in the groin.
Pennant was released from the hospital just hours later on January 19.
Williams, identified as a member of a subset of the Crips, who is already on probation for a 2020 gun possession arrest, was also taken to hospital before being taken to juvenile detention.
NYPD Police Benevolent Association President Patrick Lynch said cases like this are why New York City's crime rate has skyrocketed, up 34 percent since the start of 2022.
Camrin Williams - aka C Blu - was locked up in Brooklyn on gun and assault charges
Williams, seen here in the hospital, is free on bail after his gun went off and hit both himself and an NYPD officer in a scuffle
Officer Kaseem Pennant left the hospital to the cheers of his fellow officers a day after the shooting
The weapon recovered that allegedly went off, firing one bullet, during the fracas
Police on the scene on East 187th Street in the Bronx
'If anybody wants to know why we have a crisis of violence in this city, or why we're about to bury two hero police officers, look no further than this disgraceful bail release,' Lynch said, referencing both the shooting of Pennant and the fatal shooting of two other NYPD officers last week.
'This individual chose to carry illegal guns twice,' Lynch added. 'He chose to fight with and shoot a New York City police officer. There's no reason to believe he won't do the exact same thing when he's out on the street tonight.
Lynch blamed Judge Denis Boyle, an Acting Bronx Supreme Court Justice who previously was soft on a 16-year-old who went on to murder a 34-year-old father of two in May of 2021.
NYC PBA President Pat Lynch blamed the rise in city crime on things like Williams' ability to walk free on bond
New York City Mayor Eric Adams, a former cop, has promised to be tougher on crime
'Shame on Judge Denis Boyle for allowing this to happen,' Lynch said. 'The people of the Bronx won't be safe as long as he's on the bench.'
Boyle has a reputation for being overly lenient on young offenders and set bail at $250,000 despite prosecutors call for Williams to be held without bail.
Williams accepted the services of 'bail bondsman to the stars' Ira Judelson, who has in the past worked with the likes of DMX, Ja Rule, Harvey Weinstein and Dominique Strauss-Kahn.
The state office of court administration responded in a statement Thursday.
'The ire that the PBA president is projecting on the judge, who is following the law, should be directed at the individuals who promulgate those laws,' said spokesman Lucian Chalfen.
Williams' lawyer described his promising career: 'Not only does he sing, rap, he writes his own music. One of his songs on YouTube has 8 million views'
Ira Judelson is one of New York's most prominent licensed bail bondsmen
Williams was eligible for bail in this case and walked out just before 7 p.m. Thursday evening.
'Camrin has been released and will be back to his regular productive life of focusing on schoolwork and his music career,' Williams' attorney Dawn Florio said.
Florio, much like Judelson, has a history with famous clients, including fellow troubled rapper 6ix9ine, formerly Tekashi69.
During the case, Florio touted Williams' potential.
'He has a very promising career,' Florio told Judge Boyle. 'Not only does he sing, rap, he writes his own music. One of his songs on YouTube has 8 million views.'
During the hearing, the teenage suspect told Florio: 'please tell the judge I'll come back to court every time.'
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