By Tien-Shun Lee
A Brooklyn woman was found dead a block away from a West Indian party hall in St. Albans early Saturday after shooting broke out following a dispute, police said.
Tangeria Herring, 26, of 59 Buffalo Ave., Brooklyn, was shot in the head at around 4 a.m., said police. Her body was discovered at the corner of 116th Road and 190th Street around the corner from Sandra's West Indian and American Cuisine, a night spot that neighbors said had been converted from a restaurant to a party hall about a year ago.
“I heard about four shots. I was in bed at that time,” said Resa, a neighbor who lives a few doors down from the party hall on Linden Boulevard, who declined to give her last name. “It woke me up… It was more than four shots because my boyfriend was getting ready for work and he said he heard shots before I even got up.”
No arrests had been made as of late Tuesday and the motive for the shooting was not known, said police.
A neighbor who lives at the corner where Herring's body was found said she was shocked that a murder had occurred on the dead-end street where she lives, which is mostly occupied by families and older people.
Some people from around the area had complained about Sandra's Cuisine's late night parties, she said.
“When it was a restaurant, it was OK, but now with parties going on, I don't know why they gave them a license to do that,” she said. “If it were up to us, they would close that thing there because that's messing up the whole neighborhood.”
The neighbor said Sandra's Cuisine used to serve tasty West Indian food when it opened about five years ago, but during the past one to two years it had stopped serving food during regular lunch time and dinner hours and opened instead at around 10 p.m. for parties.
Another neighbor who lives on the corner of Linden Boulevard and 190th Street said there had not been problems in the past with people hanging out in front of the night spot.
“I guess it's just one of those unfortunate incidents,” she said.
Reach reporter Tien-Shun Lee by e-mail at Timeledger@aol.com, or call 718-229-0300, ext. 155.
