5th Suspect Arrested In Shooting Death Of Cuomo Aide

NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) -- A fifth suspect has been arrested in the death of Carey Gabay, a former aide to Gov. Andrew Cuomo who was shot and killed last year in Brooklyn.

He was arrested Thursday afternoon in California and is expected to be extradited back to New York, police said.

Gabay was walking with his brother when authorities said he was gunned down in the street following J'ouvert Celebration festivities leading up to the West Indian Day Parade on Sept. 7, 2015.

Police said he was caught in the crossfire between rival gangs in front of a building on Bedford Avenue, which is part of the Ebbets Field Houses in Crown Heights. Authorities said the investigation found that an estimated two to three dozen shots were fired during the gunfight from at least eight weapons.

Gabay was shot in the head as he tried to duck behind a car and died five days later in the hospital.

Gabay was a Harvard-educated lawyer who served as first deputy general counsel at the Empire State Development Corp.

"Carey exemplified the very best in all of us – he was a person of principle and integrity, a devoted public servant who worked every day to better the lives of others," Cuomo said in a statement released Friday. "As we approach the one year anniversary of Carey's tragic death, we all mourn his loss and honor his memory. This arrest is another step forward in the pursuit of justice for Carey's family and loved ones. I thank law enforcement for their relentless commitment to ensuring those responsible for Carey's death are held fully accountable."

In wake of the violence, police are stepping up security at both events this year.