By Nathan Duke
A would-be robber was fatally shot during what appeared to have been a break-in at a home on 70th Street in Middle Village early Tuesday morning, police said.
The robber, whose age and identity was not released by authorities, died after being shot twice during the incident, which took place at 64-05 70th St. in Middle Village just before 5 a.m. on Tuesday, police said. The home is occupied by a family, none of whom were injured during the robbery, police said.
Police said it is believed that one of the family members shot the robber.
An NYPD detective at the scene said the incident was clearly an attempted robbery.
Neighbors, most of whom did not hear the shots during the early morning robbery, said they could not believe that the incident occurred in their typically quiet neighborhood.
“I've been in this area for 27 years, so it's shocking for something like this to happen,” said resident Sal Liggieri. “It blows your mind.”
Przemek Zebrowski, who has lived on 70th Street for six years, said police knocked on his door around 7 a.m. to ask if he had heard anything. He said he slept through the incident, but that someone had tried to break into his home through the back door several months ago.
Kamil Dabkowski, a resident of the neighborhood for seven years, said there is very little violent crime in the area. But he said a robber had broken into his home two years ago and stolen jewelry.
“This is where house and car robberies go down,” he said. “It's a private neighborhood, so it's easy to get away. But people getting killed here is not what I expect.”
Officers from the 104th Precinct sealed off 70th Street for several hours during the investigation.
Off-duty correction officer Kenneth Duncan, 41, was fatally shot during another home invasion earlier in the day in Brooklyn, NY1 reported.
Reach reporter Nathan Duke by e-mail at news@timesledger.com or by phone at 718-229-0300, Ext. 156.
