CBS2 Exclusive: Queens Teen's Killer Insists He Didn't Pull The Trigger

NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) -- A convicted murderer denied that he pulled the trigger at his sentencing, but the family of the 14-year-old Queens girl that he shot in the head on a city bus isn't buying it.

Convicted killer Shamel Capers stood handcuffed and watched as the family of D'Aja Robinson spoke, CBS2's Brian Conybeare exclusively reported.

The innocent 14-year-old was hit with a stray bullet while she was on an MTA bus, heading home from a sweet sixteen party, four years ago.

"The last four years were the worst four years of my life," the victim's grandfather Willie Bolden said.

It was May 2013, when prosecutors said the then 15-year-old Capers, and fellow gang member Kevin McClinton -- who is serving 40 years -- opened fire at someone who flashed a rival gang sign.

Bullets tore through the window of a Q6 bus on Sutphin Boulevard, mistakenly hitting D'Aja in the head.

"D'Aja was a happy, spoiled little girl, loving, she was so friendly, she was kind," er mother Sheila Sands said.

D'Aja's mother watched Capers maintain his innocence in court and offer a halfhearted apology.

"I send my deepest condolences to the Robinson family. Once again, I'm truly sorry for their loss," Capers said, "I'm not a criminal, I've never been a criminal."

Sands was not convinced.

"He's not innocent," she said, "Two different witnesses in two different places, had the same story about the same two criminals that they were both at the bus shooting, and actually Shamel Capers was the first shooter."

Tragically, the family said it was the first time they ever let D'Aja ride the bus on her own.

"She call my wife, and she said, could she take the buss with her friends. Three bus stops, sure it's still daylight outside, and look what happened," Bolden said.

That section of Sutphin Boulevard has been renamed D'Aja Robinson Way, but unfortunately she will never get to celebrate her sweet sixteen.

"She didn't make it, she didn't make it to 15, it's hard," Sands said.

Now Shamel Capers will do 15 years to life in prison.