Story perspectives

NYCHA Employee Leighton Brown Killed by Falling Tree

By Drooid · Sep 27, 2026, 2:55 PM UTC · How we work

Summary

Leighton Brown Killed

NYCHA employee Leighton Brown was killed when a tree fell at 700 Euclid Avenue in East New York.
The tree fell around 3:30 p.m. Saturday during a nor'easter that brought strong winds to NYC.
Four people suffered minor injuries when another tree fell at Kelly Park Playground around 5:30 p.m.
NYC Parks Department logged 979 tree-damage requests, 356 downed trees, and deployed 12-hour crews.

Summary

First Responders CPR

First responders performed CPR on Brown and transported him to Brookdale Hospital.
Neighbor Kevin Duran recalled Brown as friendly, hardworking and greeting residents each morning.
Tenant association president James Alcivar said Brown was the go-to for urgent repairs.
Several Cypress Hills trees bore X marks showing planned safety removal.
It remains unclear if the fatal tree was among those marked for removal.

History

Historical Context

In October 2012 Hurricane Sandy flooded Manhattan, knocked down about 5,000 trees and prompted the NYC Parks Department to spend $45 million on emergency removal with help from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. The 2024 nor'easter later felled 356 trees and caused the fatal collapse of NYCHA worker Leighton Brown, reviving calls for stricter canopy inspections and additional city funding.

1 of 3

Leighton Brown Killed

NYCHA employee Leighton Brown was killed when a tree fell at 700 Euclid Avenue in East New York.
The tree fell around 3:30 p.m. Saturday during a nor'easter that brought strong winds to NYC.
Four people suffered minor injuries when another tree fell at Kelly Park Playground around 5:30 p.m.
NYC Parks Department logged 979 tree-damage requests, 356 downed trees, and deployed 12-hour crews.

1 / 3