The reckless hoodlum who allegedly gunned down beloved Harlem fixture Excenia “Momma Zee” Mette surrendered to authorities Monday — as it was revealed he was arrested for firing bullets near the same street corner about five years ago.

Ricky Shelby, 23, was ordered held without bail by a judge in Manhattan Criminal Court later Monday, and nearly a week after 61-year-old Mette was hit by a stray bullet when she stepped outside of her apartment building to check on her grandson.

The Bronx man was arraigned on second-degree murder, attempted second-degree murder, and criminal possession of a weapon charges.

The brief hearing also revealed new details about the April 22 shooting, including that Shelby fired off a half-dozen shots in the gun battle, including one that allegedly struck Mette in the head.

“The defendant stands before the court accused of attempted murder in the second degree, where he was unsuccessful, and the bullets that he fired — including six 40-caliber shots — struck an unintended victim in Harlem,” said Assistant District Attorney Alfred Peterson.

“There is no amount of bail that will ensure his return to court; that’s why we’re requesting remand.”

Judge Louis Nock granted the prosecution’s request to hold Shelby, who turned himself in that morning, behind bars.

Police believe Shelby shot Mette by mistake as he exchanged bullets with Darious Smith, 23, late near West 113th Street and Lenox Avenue, according to sources.

The kindly Mette had rushed outside to check on her grandson after hearing gunfire, neighbors said. She got caught in the crossfire and took a bullet to the head, a harrowing video shows.

Smith, who was arrested nearby with a gunshot wound to his foot, faces an attempted murder charge and also remains in jail without bail.

But the shooter who fired the wayward bullet that killed Mette remained at large for days.

Investigators identified Shelby as the alleged triggerman by April 24, prompting a search warrant to be served at his Soundview home in recent days, sources said.

“This man had a complete disregard for human life, and it cost a family — and our entire city — an innocent grandmother,” Mayor Eric Adams said in a statement. “Hats off to the men and women of the NYPD who helped apprehend him. Let this be a lesson to anyone who seeks to wreak havoc in our city: our officers will find you and bring you to justice.”

Shelby and Smith are suspected to be on opposing sides of a beef that boiled over into the chaotic shooting, sources said. 

Court papers state a man matching Smith’s description rode a scooter toward a group of people, pulled a gun, and fired two shots, court papers state. 

A second suspect — Shelby, according to police — grabbed a gun of his own and returned fire, wounding Smith and killing Mette, sources said.

Neither suspect has a known gang affiliation, and the violence doesn’t appear at this point to be gang-related, the source said.

Shelby has a past gun arrest from December 2020 in Manhattan, records show.

Cops in that case responded to a “shots fired” call at West 115th Street and Lenox Avenue, where they found two shell casings, sources said, and a criminal complaint states. 

Video surveillance showed the then-19-year-old Shelby raise his arm up and hold something in his hand, prompting another man about 10 feet away to hit the ground, the complaint states.

“(Shelby) stated in substance ‘I fired two shots because someone was shooting at me,’” according to the complaint.

Shelby eventually pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor charge of criminal possession of a firearm in July 2023 and was sentenced to conditional discharge, sources said.

Police were looking into how Shelby allegedly got the gun for the most recent shooting, as well as where the weapon was, the sources said.

Mette’s former business, Momma Zee’s Food to Plez Deli, was the first black woman-owned bodega in the city when she opened it in the 1980s.

Mourners, including the Rev. Al Sharpton, marched Saturday in honor of Mette, whom they remembered as the “Mayor of Harlem.”

“My grandmother should be here,” said her heartbroken grandson, Jarian Jordan Jr., 24. “We have to stop the senseless gun violence.”

Shelby’s next court date is May 15. 

His family showed up in force Monday afternoon outside the NYPD’s 28th Precinct, where cops were preparing to ferry him to court. 

Eight family members hopped out of a white GMC SUV, put on black surgical masks, and made their way to the precinct.

The precinct had to deploy 22 uniformed officers to stand in the street and hold the growing crowd of onlookers back across the street.

“Ricky, we love you!” they shouted, along with, “Yeah, his family here! What’s up?” 

— Additional reporting by Amanda Woods and Kevin Sheehan