Ralph “Chicken” Herrera, a 33-year-old father of four, was shot in the head outside the Bronx smoke shop where he worked on the night of August 7, 2025. Nearly ten months later, federal prosecutors charged three members of a Bronx street gang called the MacBallers with carrying out the Ralph Herrera shooting as retaliation for a fistfight two days earlier.
What Happened Outside the Smoke Shop
Herrera worked at Exotic World, a smoke shop on Westchester Avenue near Morrison Avenue in Soundview, beneath the elevated No. 6 line. Around 10:30 p.m. on August 7, 2025, he was standing outside the store when a man walked up with a sweatshirt hood cinched tight over his face and shot him in the left side of the head at point-blank range. Officers found a single shell casing on the sidewalk. Herrera was taken to Jacobi Hospital and pronounced dead.1Yahoo News. Cops Seek Suspect in Bronx Execution-Style Killing
Surveillance cameras caught the shooting and the gunman running down Westchester Avenue. Cameras in the same area later recorded him without the hood, and investigators matched his clothing to the figure in the attack footage: a black T-shirt with multicolored lettering, black pants, and black-and-red sneakers.2NY Daily News. Three Men Arrested for Execution-Style Killing of Bronx Father of Four
No arrests followed for nearly two weeks. On August 20, 2025, the NYPD released surveillance images of the suspect and asked the public for tips.3NY Daily News. Cops Seek Suspect in Execution-Style Bronx Killing of Ralph “Chicken” Herrera The investigation became a joint effort between NYPD detectives and Homeland Security Investigations.4U.S. Department of Justice. Three Gang Members Charged in Connection With Execution-Style Murder on Bronx Sidewalk
Why Prosecutors Say Herrera Was Killed
According to the federal indictment, the killing traced back to a fight on August 5, 2025, two days before the shooting. Herrera got into a physical altercation outside a Bronx store with three MacBallers members: Kadin West, Milan Wright, and Jahrid Dawkins. In the days after, West and Wright were allegedly overheard talking about killing Herrera to answer what they saw as a slight against their crew.4U.S. Department of Justice. Three Gang Members Charged in Connection With Execution-Style Murder on Bronx Sidewalk
The MacBallers are a Bronx-based street gang federal authorities have linked to drug trafficking, robberies, and violence against rivals and anyone perceived to have disrespected them.5U.S. Department of Justice. Members of Violent Mac Ballers Gang Charged With Racketeering Conspiracy and Attempted Murder
Who Was Charged
On May 28, 2026, a federal indictment was unsealed in the Southern District of New York. The case, United States v. Dawkins et al., was assigned to U.S. District Judge Katherine Polk Failla. All three defendants were presented in Manhattan federal court the same day and ordered detained.4U.S. Department of Justice. Three Gang Members Charged in Connection With Execution-Style Murder on Bronx Sidewalk
Prosecutors allege Kadin West, 23, of the Bronx, known as “Kay Backends,” helped plan the killing after the August 5 fight and directed Dawkins to carry it out. He faces racketeering conspiracy, conspiracy to commit murder in aid of racketeering, murder in aid of racketeering, and a firearms count. The murder-in-aid-of-racketeering charge carries a mandatory minimum of life in prison or the death penalty; the racketeering conspiracy and firearms counts each carry a maximum of life.4U.S. Department of Justice. Three Gang Members Charged in Connection With Execution-Style Murder on Bronx Sidewalk
Milan Wright, 19, of the Bronx, known as “BabyyThreat,” was allegedly overheard with West discussing the plan to kill Herrera. He is charged with racketeering conspiracy, which carries up to 20 years, and conspiracy to commit murder in aid of racketeering, which carries up to 10.4U.S. Department of Justice. Three Gang Members Charged in Connection With Execution-Style Murder on Bronx Sidewalk
Jahrid Dawkins, 18, of Edison, New Jersey, is alleged to be the masked gunman who walked up to Herrera and fired. He is charged with racketeering conspiracy, carrying a maximum of life.4U.S. Department of Justice. Three Gang Members Charged in Connection With Execution-Style Murder on Bronx Sidewalk
The charges are allegations, and each defendant is presumed innocent unless and until convicted.
About Ralph Herrera
Herrera grew up in Soundview and lived around the block from the smoke shop where he worked and was killed. He was a father of four and a rapper who performed as “Xhixken Dondada.” Friends described him as an Eminem fan whose personality drew a wide circle, including ties to the Grammy-nominated rapper Nipsey Hussle.2NY Daily News. Three Men Arrested for Execution-Style Killing of Bronx Father of Four The day after the shooting, friends lit candles outside Exotic World and described him as a good father who looked out for his block and often bought ice cream for the neighborhood kids.1Yahoo News. Cops Seek Suspect in Bronx Execution-Style Killing