By Ivan Pereira
A Springfield Gardens block woke up to a shock Tuesday morning after a 24-year-old man was shot to death the night before down the block from an elementary school.
Officers arrived to 219th Street and 132nd Road before 11 p.m. to respond to a 911 call of shots fired, according to police. Several neighbors of the block said they heard two gunshots and became scared because the neighborhood has been safe and quiet.
“I heard a pop, pop,” said a resident who lives on the other side of the block from where the shooting took place and asked not to be identified.
Police found the unidentified victim on the street with a gunshot wound to his head and he was rushed to Jamaica Hospital, where he was declared dead on arrival, investigators said. No suspects were arrested as of press time Tuesday and the investigation was ongoing, according to police.
A woman named Pat, who has lived on the block with her family for 40 years, said the victim did not reside in the neighborhood. She said he would visit a house every week and arrive in a black Audi.
“I’d see that car come here frequently,” Pat said.
The unsolved murder wasfrightening for the neighborhood, according to Pat, since it took place just yards from PS 132. The school was closed at the time of the shooting and no children were nearby, police said.
“This stuff doesn’t happen on this block at all,” Pat said. “It’s very unnerving.”
Anyone with information on the shooting is urged to call Crimestoppers at 1-800-577-TIPS, text their tips to 274637 then enter TIP577 or log on to nypdcrimestoppers.com.
Reach reporter Ivan Pereira by e-mail at ipereira@cnglocal.com or by phone at 718-229-0300, Ext. 146.
