Joseph Fama was a 19-year-old white male from Bensonhurst, a working-class, predominantly Italian-American neighborhood in Brooklyn, New York. There is limited public information about Fama’s early life, education, or employment prior to the 1989 killing that brought him national attention. He became a central figure in one of New York City’s most racially charged murder cases during the late 20th century.

Bensonhurst, at the time, had a reputation for racial hostility and a tightly knit ethnic identity. Tensions between local Italian-American youth and Black New Yorkers escalated in the 1980s, and Fama was part of a crowd of young white males who viewed Black teens as intruders in their community. This environment helped fuel the events that led to the tragic murder of 16-year-old Yusef Hawkins.

Fama was reportedly aligned with local gangs and was close to others involved in orchestrating the mob attack, including Keith Mondello, who was described as the group’s "instigator and organizer." According to testimony and later mob confessions, the group was gathered on the evening of the shooting based on false rumors that Black youths were coming into the neighborhood to attend a party with a local girl, an event that never involved Hawkins or his friends.

On the night of August 23, 1989, Yusef Hawkins, a 16-year-old Black teenager from East New York, Brooklyn, traveled to Bensonhurst with his younger brother and two friends to look at a used car. The group had no connection to any party or conflict in the area. As they walked through the neighborhood, they were ambushed by a mob of 10 to 30 white youths, many of whom were armed with baseball bats. Among them was Joseph Fama, who carried a handgun.

The attackers had gathered based on false rumors that Black teens would be coming to the neighborhood for a party. This misinformation, fueled by racial hostility, led to a planned ambush of any Black individuals who entered the area. As Hawkins and his group unknowingly approached the site, they were attacked. During the chaos, Fama fired his gun twice, shooting Hawkins in the chest. Hawkins collapsed and later died from his injuries.

The killing sparked citywide outrage and became one of the most racially explosive incidents in New York City’s recent history. Reverend Al Sharpton led weeks of protest marches through Bensonhurst, highlighting racial tensions and demanding justice. The case joined the tragic ranks of other racially charged murders in NYC during the 1980s, including the deaths of Willie Turks and Michael Griffith.

Fama fled the city after the shooting but was arrested and tried in 1990. On May 17, 1990, he was convicted of second-degree murder and later sentenced on June 11, 1990, to 32⅓ years to life in prison. His earliest possible parole eligibility was set for 2022, by which time he would have been just over 50 years old.

Co-defendant Keith Mondello was acquitted of the most serious charges but convicted on 12 lesser counts and served eight years. Other members of the group received varied sentences, including community service and lesser prison terms.

In 2005, former Gambino crime family member Joseph D’Angelo admitted that the mob present that night was there at his direction, mistakenly believing they were protecting his property. This confession confirmed long-held suspicions that organized crime influences played a role in the attack and cover-up.

The killing of Yusef Hawkins remains a haunting symbol of racial hatred and mob violence in America. Joseph Fama’s name is forever linked to a tragedy that fueled both public outrage and a deeper conversation about race, justice, and violence in urban America.