Matthew Podolsky, the Acting United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, announced that Austin Morrishow has pled guilty to illegally possessing multiple rounds of ammunition. This is in connection with a shooting on June 30, 2023, where Morrishow and his co-defendant Curtis White fired several shots on a residential street in the Bronx, seriously injuring a five-year-old girl. The plea was entered before U.S. District Judge Loretta A. Preska, who also accepted White's guilty plea on February 5, 2025.
"On June 30, 2023, Austin Morrishow and his co-defendant, Curtis White, engaged in a brazen act of violence by firing several shots onto a busy residential street in the Bronx," said Acting U.S. Attorney Matthew Podolsky. "As these shots rang out, panicked bystanders rushed for cover, and one child—a five-year-old girl—was struck by a bullet and seriously injured. Morrishow then tried to evade arrest but he was tracked down by our law enforcement partners and now faces time in prison for endangering our city with senseless gun violence."
Court documents reveal that on the day of the incident, Morrishow and White were among several individuals gathered on a sidewalk when Morrishow fired at cars idling nearby after mistaking a car engine backfire as gunfire. White pursued the fleeing vehicles while firing from another pistol.
The gunfire resulted in at least seven .40 caliber shell casings and two .380 caliber shell casings being found at the scene along with two bullets and bullet fragments that caused damage to parked vehicles. One bullet hit the young girl sitting in a car; she was subsequently hospitalized.
Both men were prohibited from possessing firearms or ammunition due to prior convictions: Morrishow for using and carrying a firearm during a narcotics conspiracy and White for attempted first-degree assault with intent to cause serious injury.
Morrishow and White have each pled guilty to one count of possession of ammunition after a felony conviction, which could lead to up to 15 years in prison. Sentencing dates are set for June 25, 2025, for Morrishow and May 20, 2025, for White.
Mr. Podolsky acknowledged the efforts of the New York City Police Department as well as assistance from federal agencies including the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the U.S. Marshals Service.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Jerry J. Fang is handling this prosecution through the Office’s General Crimes Unit.