East Flatbush

Flatbush man gets 24 years for shooting boy’s eye out

October 4, 2017 By Paul Frangipane Brooklyn Daily Eagle
Kareem Potomont waits to be sentenced at Brooklyn Supreme Court. Eagle photos by Paul Frangipane
Share this:

A Flatbush man was sentenced to 24 years in prison on Tuesday for a shooting that caused a 13-year-old boy to go blind in one eye.

The shooter’s attorney argued for a shorter sentence and claimed that the boy’s injuries weren’t serious, but the judge didn’t back down.

 “Obviously we are arguing that there was no serious physical injury,” defense attorney, Audrey Thomas said in Brooklyn Supreme Court, arguing for a shorter sentence.

Victim, Gama Droiville, 16, and his family glared at Thomas after her remark.

“To hear that I was not seriously injured is absurd because I will never see out of my right eye again,” Droiville said in court. “Because of a coward, I lost my vision.”

Kareem Potomont, 24, was convicted of assault, reckless endangerment and gun possession on Aug. 4 after a three-week trial.

Thomas’ argument did not win over Supreme Court Justice Ruth Shillingford.

“It is stunning to me that I hear this afternoon that Mr. Droiville did not suffer serious physical injury. That’s just nonsense.” Shillingford said before sentencing Potomont.

A jury found that Potomont opened fire on Eduardo Dolphy near Flatbush Avenue and Beverley Road in broad daylight on April 14, 2014. His bullets struck Dolphy in the leg and landed in a 13-year-old Droiville’s right eye as his aunt and 8-year-old cousin watched, according to court documents.

Droiville underwent multiple surgeries and ended up with a glass eye.

Potomont was caught on surveillance footage and arrested three days later.

He told the judge he didn’t intend to shoot Droiville.

Thomas said her client was being harassed and assaulted by Dolphy.

“I’m sorry how everything happened,” Potomont said.

“Today’s sentence holds the defendant accountable and should serve as a warning that gun violence such as this will not be tolerated on the streets of Brooklyn,” acting Brooklyn District Attorney Eric Gonzalez said in a statement.

Subscribe to our newsletters


Leave a Comment


Leave a Comment