Rashiem Flanders, a 37-year-old Staten Island man, was fatally shot in the head while attempting to intercede in a dispute outside a local bar, his family disclosed. Flanders had just left a tattoo parlor, where he had inked a message of life affirmation.
“Yesterday he got a tattoo that said ‘Eternal Life,'” shared a relative of the deceased, requesting anonymity due to fear of potential backlash.
Flanders, known for his proactive nature, was exiting a Richmond Terrace bar close to Clinton Avenue around 4:30 p.m. on Saturday when he observed a skirmish between two women outside the establishment. He approached the scene in an attempt to resolve the conflict, authorities reported.
His family was not shocked by his intervention in the altercation outside the Richmond Terrace bar because Flanders was known as a man of action, his sister-in-law revealed.
“That was definitely him, always in the middle, trying to keep the peace,” Kennette Flanders reflected. “He had a kind heart and a kind spirit, always willing to help someone.”
While Flanders was trying to cease the fight, another individual emerged with a firearm and shot him in the head, officials confirmed.
Flanders was immediately transported to the University of Richmond Medical Center, where he was subsequently pronounced dead, according to the police.
Contrary to the circumstances of his death, Flanders’ mother, Jane Anne Akinsemoyin, said her son was not the kind to frequent bars. She informed The Daily News that he was more typically found at home with her two grandchildren, aged 9 and 3.
“He never hung out there. He wasn’t the hanging out type,” Akinsemoyin insisted. “He was always at home with his kids.”
Kennette lamented the loss of her brother-in-law, attributing his tragic demise to being in the “wrong place at the wrong time.” She highlighted that he was a well-respected figure in the New Brighton community.
“Everyone knew who he was,” Kennette said. “A nice person, not the type to get in trouble or anything like that.”
According to Akinsemoyin, the “Eternal Life” tattoo her son had gotten earlier that fatal afternoon was a testament to his faith in life beyond death.
“Life is forever,” she affirmed. “There is an afterlife. Yes, he believed that.”
As of now, no arrests have been made by the NYPD regarding this case.