Thomas Little, a Brooklyn man who overcame a severe childhood injury before later struggling with the criminal justice system, was fatally shot in the early hours of June 6 in Bedford-Stuyvesant, police said. Little, 34, was struck multiple times in the head outside an apartment building on Somers Street near Fulton Street. He was pronounced dead at Brookdale University Hospital. Authorities have not made any arrests in connection with the shooting.

Little's life was marked by both resilience and hardship. At age nine, he suffered a near-amputation of his foot after it became trapped in a trash compactor chute in his Red Hook apartment building. The injury left his foot hanging by a single tendon, and after nearly a dozen surgeries and four years of physical therapy, he relearned how to walk. Despite a $2.3 million settlement awarded to his family by the building’s owner, Little faced ongoing challenges related to his injury and later a troubled personal history.

Legal records reveal Little served an eight-year prison sentence for a Long Island robbery. More recently, he was arrested in Arizona for aiding the smuggling of four Mexican nationals across the U.S. border, a violation that carried a 21-month sentence. In July 2024, he was apprehended in Idaho for riding in a vehicle that contained firearms, leading to a violation of his supervised release. This resulted in him spending more than eight months at the Brooklyn Metropolitan Detention Center, where access to his pain medication and physical therapy was restricted.

In February 2025, Little appeared in federal court seeking a second chance. He expressed remorse for his past actions and a desire to improve, telling U.S. District Judge Analisa Torres, “I understand that time is limited and at any given moment, anyone can run out of time.” He planned to focus on supporting his then-14-year-old daughter, continue working as a commercial truck driver, and potentially train as a mechanic, despite concerns about the deteriorating condition of his foot.

Personal relationships also defined Little’s final days. His longtime girlfriend, Raquel, described his life as one that demanded strength from an early age. Another partner, Nariyah—who is two months pregnant with his child—was with Little shortly before the shooting at a New York Knicks watch party nearby. She recounted how they argued shortly before the incident, with Little leaving the gathering against her wishes. She was the last person to speak with him before he was shot.

Little’s mother, Josephine DeJesus, spoke about her son’s character, calling him a devoted and selfless person who cared deeply for others. She recalled intervening during his childhood to prevent the amputation of his foot and expressed hope that justice would eventually be served for his murder. Police reported the suspected gunman fled in a black sedan, and investigations into the shooting remain ongoing.