Clinton Hill Man Convicted In Killing Of Beloved Local Homeless Man, Gilbert Kelley

“With the conviction of his killer and the long prison sentence that he faces, justice was done. May Mr. Kelley rest in peace.”

Those were the words of Brooklyn District Attorney Kenneth Thompson after the conviction of Victorious Kingsberry, 20, a Clinton Hill man who fatally shot Gilbert Kelley, often referred to as Grand Avenue’s “protector,” on March 15, 2014 after the homeless man asked him and his friends to lower their voices.

At approximately 4 a.m., the defendant, who was 18 years old, and five of his friends were on the way home from a party when they exited the subway near Grand Avenue in Clinton Hill. The group then turned onto Grand Avenue and started to walk towards Lafayette Gardens.

. . .According to trial testimony, they encountered Gilbert Kelley, 57, a local homeless man who often swept the sidewalks of Grand Avenue and helped the homeowners on that block by doing odd jobs such as carrying groceries, raking leaves and shoveling snow.

Kelley was pushing his shopping cart at the time and told the defendant and his friends to be quiet because the neighbors were sleeping. The defendant and his friends then got into a dispute with Kelley and started to approach the victim, who pulled out a kitchen knife. The defendant and his friends then crossed to the opposite side of the street, and the defendant then pulled out a .380 caliber handgun and fired, striking the victim in the chest, and ran off.

Detective Andre Parker of the 88th Precinct — who was last week recognized by Brooklyn Borough President Eric Adams for his “outstanding work” in the community — investigated the case.

Kingsberry was convicted of one count of second-degree murder and one count of second-degree criminal possession of a weapon. He faces 25 years to life in prison when sentenced on December 22.

“This senseless shooting took the life of a beloved man who was a fixture of the Clinton Hill community,” said Thompson. “Though he had few material possessions, Gilbert Kelley had a generous heart and died defending the block that he loved, Grand Avenue.”