It was 17-year-old Devonte Lewis’ first day back at his Brooklyn school after taking weeks of remote classes because of the pandemic — and it was the last day of his life thanks to two armed teenage rivals waiting to murder him at dismissal.
His mother, Carlene Watt, described her son as big-hearted, smart, generous and funny — and eager to get his life back on track by taking classes at the Urban Dove Charter School where he was killed.
“He was a great big brother to his two little sisters and two little brothers. He was the oldest. He was gorgeous. He had the prettiest eyes,” said Watt, 35, before dissolving into tears.
The East Midwood charter school serves older students who have struggled at traditional schools, and Devonte was hoping to graduate and move to Florida to get a job, his mom said.
But on April 29, he stepped outside of the school on E. 21st St. near Ave. K and into a hail of lead.
Two boys, ages 15 and 16-years-old, were charged Wednesday in Devonte’s death. Both were hit with murder and weapons possession charges, and ordered held without bail Thursday night.
Surveillance video captured both teens raising their arms and firing shots at Devonte, according to a criminal complaint.
“Fifteen and 16? They are just babies,” Devonte’s mother said. “Not only did I lose my child, but those other families are losing their kids.
“The only difference is I can’t reach out and touch my child anymore.”
Jay Schwitzman, the lawyer for the 16-year-old, claimed his client’s innocence.
“He denies participating in this senseless murder of Devonte Lewis,” Schwitzman said. “He denies all the allegations here.”
But the 16-year-old had a gun with him when he was arrested, prosecutors said.
“We believe that the gun that the defendant possessed on May 19 was used in the homicide that he’s also charged with,” said Assistant District Attorney Gillian DiPietro at a Friday court conference.
The DA’s Office in Brooklyn seeks to charge the accused baby-faced shooters as adults.
The 15 year-old suspect has two separate open robbery cases — one in Brooklyn and one in Queens.
In the Brooklyn case, the boy is accused of a gunpoint stickup in Flatbush on March 14.
The two teens are being held at an Administration for Children’s Services facility.
After court Friday, a family member of the 16-year-old cursed out a Daily News reporter.
“Go away from me, don’t ask me s–t,” the woman said.
Watts has harsh words for Urban Dove.
“There was no safety there. There were no cops, no security guards. There was nothing there to protect my son. He didn’t feel safe there,” she said.
Jai Nanda, the school’s executive director, said the accused killers aren’t students at Urban Dove, and police sources said the older teen is a gang member.
Nanda said the school has 30 surveillance cameras both inside and outside the building and conducts bag checks each morning.
At dismissal more than 40 staff members fan out for several blocks “to help ensure students are safe,” he said.
“Six staff members were standing outside and within 15 feet of Devonte when he was shot, but unfortunately their presence was not enough of a deterrent,” Nanda said, adding that his staff was “heartbroken” by the murder.
“The safety of our students is always our first priority and while we can keep our school building safe, we cannot always control what happens when our students leave the building,” he said.
Devonte’s stepfather, Theodore Haynes, 38, said his teen stepson had just started a maintenance job with the New York City Housing Authority.
“He was going to school and getting into his music. He loved dancing and basketball. He was full of life,” Haynes said.
“All teens go through things growing up. He was making a transition. He took care of his grandmother. He was getting a job. He wanted to make us proud.”
He hoped to move to Florida with his girlfriend when his life was settled, Haynes said. “He wanted a new start.”
