Man Who Killed Pregnant Ex-girlfriend In Front Of Her Kids Hours After Her Baby Shower Is Sentenced To 40 Years To Life In Prison

Justin Soriano, 43, has been sentenced to 40 years to life in prison for the fatal shooting of his pregnant ex-girlfriend, Shanice Young, after her baby shower in 2021. The sentencing took place on Thursday, April 3, 2025, in Manhattan Supreme Court.

The Crime

On September 12, 2021, between 1:00 a.m. and 1:16 a.m., 31-year-old Shanice Young was returning home from her baby shower when she was shot and killed outside her Harlem residence. Young was eight months pregnant with her third child at the time of the incident. The shooting occurred at 300 West 128th Street and Frederick Douglass Boulevard as Young was unloading baby shower gifts with her family and new partner.

According to prosecutors, Soriano arrived at the scene on a motorcycle, dressed entirely in black with latex gloves and a face covering. He was armed with a loaded firearm when he confronted Young and her new boyfriend. After chasing Young’s new companion around the apartment, Soriano returned to the front of the building where Young was standing outside a vehicle.

When Young asked Soriano why he was doing this, he repeated her question before firing multiple shots into her face at close range. A single bullet struck her in the head, and both Young and her unborn child died from their injuries.

Witnesses and Impact

The shooting occurred in front of four children, including Young’s daughters, aged 15 and 6 at the time. The children were forced to watch their mother die before their eyes. According to Angelina Rosado, executive director of Sisters in Purple, a domestic violence support group, Young’s daughter (now 10) suffers from PTSD as a result of witnessing the murder.

“She was an amazing person, a super hands-on mom,” Rosado said. “She took the steps that our society tells victims of domestic violence to take. You know, she did her orders of protection, she made sure she got away. And unfortunately, this was the outcome.”

Legal Proceedings

Soriano fled the scene after the shooting but was apprehended by authorities days later in the Bronx. He was subsequently charged with murder in the second degree, illegal possession of a firearm, menacing, and endangering a child’s welfare.

In November 2024, a jury found Soriano guilty on all counts. Despite the evidence and witness testimony against him, Soriano claimed during his sentencing hearing that his “constitutional rights” had been violated.

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Sentencing and Statements

Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg commented on the case, stating: “Justin Soriano will serve state prison time for viciously murdering Shanice Young on what should have been a joyous and memorable occasion and celebration.”

Bragg added, “Soriano committed this horrific shooting in front of four children, including Ms. Young’s own daughters, who helplessly watched their mother die right before their eyes. The trauma Ms. Young’s family and loved ones have experienced continues to be felt today and my thoughts remain with them as they continue to heal.”

The District Attorney expressed hope that “the significant sentence imposed today serves as a measure of justice for this tragic and abhorrent act of violence.”