By Courtney Dentch and James DeWeese
Police said a third bouncer who was apparently not a court officer was also wounded in the shooting at the Phenomenon nightclub at 62-05 30th Ave., where another murder occurred exactly six months before.
“It appears the shooting was retaliation by four male Hispanics who got thrown out of the club earlier,” Queens District Attorney Richard Brown said at the time of the shooting.
No arrests had been made as of Tuesday night.
Francisco Rosa, 32, of the Bronx was shot once and taken to Elmhurst Hospital Medical Center, where a spokeswoman said he was pronounced dead. Rosa, who worked as a security officer at a Mt. Vernon court, was the father of three children who lived in Queens with their mother, The New York Times reported.
Michael Serrano, 35, was shot three times, police said. The New Rochelle court officer was also taken to Elmhurst Hospital, where a spokeswoman said he remained in stable condition Tuesday.
Serrano, apparently a friend of Rosa, declined to comment through a hospital spokeswoman.
Reginald Hayes, 41, another bouncer was shot three times, police said. He was at Elmhurst Hospital in stable condition Tuesday, a spokeswoman said.
“This an enormous tragedy,” said David Bookstaver, spokesman for the New York State Unified Court System.
Bookstaver said neither Rosa nor Serrano was authorized to work the private security detail at the club.
“Had they asked for permission as required by the officer's manual. it would have been denied because they don't grant permission for that type of work,” Bookstaver said.
Officers are barred from working at establishments that serve liquor, and they must get permission for work outside the judicial district they are assigned to.
Rosa and Serrano were assigned to the 9th Judicial District, which covers the Westchester County courts where they worked, Bookstaver said.
Law enforcement sources said the investigation into the shooting was ongoing.
Shortly before 4 a.m. a dispute broke out inside the nightclub, which occupies about a third of a secluded block hugging the Brooklyn-Queens Expressway, police said.
A Police Department spokesman said bouncers removed several people from the club after the altercation. It appeared the group returned seeking retribution, police said. The shooters arrived in either a black Ford Taurus or Nissan Maxima, according to reports. A police spokesman said they “fired several shots.”
Six months to the day before Saturday's fatal incident, another murder took place at the club, police said. On Nov. 22, a 23-year-old Hispanic man was shot twice in the chest and died, police said.
The club's management denied several telephone and in-person requests for comment on the shooting, saying at one point that police detectives were inside the club investigating.
Metal detectors were in use at the entrance Monday night, and at least three bouncers were working security by the door to the club, which several jumbo-screen televisions on the wall, a large bar and palm tree decorations.
A makeshift memorial of five lighted candles and a bouquet of flowers leaned against the fence of the public baseball field that sits across from the club.
Reporter Cynthia Koons contributed to this report.
Reach reporter Courtney Dentch by e-mail at news@timesledger.com, or call 718-229-0300, Ext. 138.
