Tiarah Shanice Poyau, 22, was looking forward to having fun with friends at the J’Ouvert festival in Brooklyn, New York. Poi was taking time to enjoy herself before going back to St. John ’s University where she was working to obtain a Master’s degree in accounting. She had also landed an internship PwC in New York. The annual Caribbean festival would allow Poyau to relax before returning to work and school following Labor Day weekend.
But during the celebration, Poyau was approached by Reginald Moise shortly after 4 am. Moise reportedly began grinding on Poyau who attempted to walk away. But Moise continued to harass Poyau who eventually told him to “stop grinding” on her. Morse, who may have been drunk, pulled out a gun a shot Poyau in the eye. According to the New York Post, Poyau was rushed to the hospital where she died on Sept. 5.
Morse fled the scene and went to his girlfriend’s house. Possibly feeling guilty because of the shooting, Moise aimed the gun at the bathroom mirror and pulled the trigger. The bullet traveled into another apartment, but no one was hurt. Police were called to the scene and Moise fled in his car before crashing into several parked cars. He was eventually arrested by authorities.
Poyau’s murder was just one incident following a string of violence that occurred during the J’Ouvert festival. About 30 minutes before Poyau was killed, Tyreke Borel, 17, was killed after being shot in the chest while at the festival. There hasn’t been a suspect arrested for the murder of Borel.
Also, a 23-year-old woman was stabbed and a 72-year-old woman was shot in the hand. In 2015, a representative for New York’s Governor Andrew Cuomo, Carey Gabay, 43, was shot in the head while at the festival.
The J’Ouvert festival started in the 1980s and was a way for West Indian communities to celebrate before the end of the summer. However, the festival has become marred by violence and could possibly be banned in 2017. Festival organizers will have to enforce the notion of peace and unity so that a few bad seeds would not be allowed to destroy the overall message of the event.
New York Mayor Bill de Blasio and the city council are currently discussing the future of J’Ouvert festival in the city.
