Brooklyn gang member sentenced to 20 years to life for fatal shooting of rival

A Brooklyn man will now spend a minimum of two decades behind bars after pleading guilty to the 2014 fatal shooting of his alleged rival.

Avon Simmons, 24, of Flatbush, was sentenced Thursday to 20 years to life in prison after he pleaded guilty on Feb. 9 to second-degree murder and second-degree criminal possession of a weapon.

According to prosecutors, on Aug. 13, 2014 at 8:30 a.m., Simmons fired multiple shots at 26-year-old Prinso Ulysee who had been standing outside of 2149 Cortelyou Road in Brooklyn. A bullet hit the side of Ulysee’s head and he suffered extensive hemorrhaging and swelling to the brain. He later died on Sept. 3, 2014 at Kings County Hospital.

The fatal shooting was caught on high-definition video surveillance which clearly showed Simmons stepping into the street, firing a gun at Ulysee, who was on the sidewalk, and then walking away, authorities said.

Prosecutors added that Simmons was a member of the G-Stone Crips gang and was likely targeting Ulysee in revenge for a past incident in which Simmons’ brother was shot.

“We will not allow gang members to settle their scores with guns, endangering innocent residents and sowing fear in our communities,” said Brooklyn District Attorney Ken Thompson. “We will prosecute them and send them to prison for many years, just like we did to this defendant, who killed a rival in the street in broad daylight.”