By Alexander Dworkowitz
A 19-year-old aspiring engineer and rap artist was gunned down outside of his girlfriend’s apartment in Flushing’s Pomonok Houses Friday evening.
Isaac Neal, who lived in one of Pomonok’s 35 brick buildings, was shot in the head and killed as a result of a dispute with a group of men in their 20s, police said.
Another Pomonok resident, Timothy Carson, 21, was arrested and charged with second-degree murder in Neal’s death, police said.
Police from the 107th Precinct were continuing their search for the other men.
Pomonok residents put up a poster board memorial to Neal, whose nickname was Budae, at the entrance of his girlfriend’s apartment building, where Neal had been living in recent weeks. Dozens of candles were placed at the foot of the board, which was full of personal messages to Neal.
Neal’s girlfriend, Maria Medina, 21, said Neal was planning to start college soon with the goal of becoming an engineer.
Medina, who is pregnant with Neal’s child, described him as “very smart” and “playful.”
“[He] always makes me laugh,” she said. “He likes to rhyme.”
Medina, who had been dating Neal for a couple of months, said she believes he was shot because he had decided to stop selling marijuana.
Friday evening had started out peacefully enough for Neal and Medina.
Medina met Neal on her way home from buying some milk for her two young daughters. Her boyfriend took her cartons of milk from her as she went into a deli to buy some more food.
While Medina was inside, Neal was approached by three men, Medina said. After speaking with Neal, the three walked to Medina’s building, waiting for the couple to arrive, she said.
The three rode with the pair up the building’s elevator, Medina said.
When they stopped in front of Medina’s apartment, one of the men pulled up his shirt, revealing a gun tucked in his pants, Medina said. The men were asking for $80, she said.
Neal asked his girlfriend to go inside her apartment.
“He told me he would be right back,” Medina said. “He must have thought because he was in the hallway, he wouldn’t be shot.”
Medina then heard gunshots.
“I opened up the front door, and he was in a pool of blood,” Medina said. The three men had disappeared.
Medina, who is enrolled in an Astoria business school, said she and Neal were planning to find another apartment together.
“He wanted to marry me and have a family with me,” she said.
Medina said she would keep their child.
“If it’s a boy, I’m going to name it after him.”
Reach reporter Alexander Dworkowitz by e-mail at Timesledger@aol.com or call 229-0300 Ext. 141.
