First homicide of the year

South Ozone Park had the unsavory distinction of having Queens County’s first homicide in the new year after Jagdesh Beni, 33, was shot and killed in his own driveway last week.
The incident happened at around 2 p.m. on Thursday, January 8 as Beni, a father of three young girls, was pulling into his driveway at 107-05 103rd Street.
According to reports, he noticed the suspect, Wade Cameron, 18, also of South Ozone Park, on his property. When Beni instructed the teen to move, an argument ensued. Cameron allegedly then pulled out an unlicensed .22 caliber revolver and shot Beni once in the chest, fatally wounding him.
Sham Jagnanan, 35, Beni’s brother-in-law, witnessed the incident and was reportedly punched.
“Once again an illegal handgun is at the center of what, under normal circumstances, would have amounted to nothing more than a verbal dispute,” said District Attorney Richard A. Brown. “As a result, a husband has been senselessly gunned down in front of his house and three very young girls will grow up without their father.”
What remains in question as the investigation proceeds is whether the victims fought back.
Police say that Beni and Jagnanan were allegedly assaulting Cameron with a broomstick when he fired. In published reports, family members dispute this.
Cameron has been arraigned on charges of second-degree murder, first-degree manslaughter and second-degree criminal possession of a weapon. He was ordered held on $150,000 bail and to return to court on January 23. He faces up to 25 years to life in prison if convicted.