By Ivan Pereira
Police were still on the lookout for whoever committed the double murder last week that shut down a South Jamaica block for an entire evening after two unidentified young men were killed.
Officers from the 113th Precinct restricted access last Thursday to dozens of residents who lived on 156th Street between 111th and 113th avenues during the homicide investigation that took place on the block.
A 20-year-old man and a 28-year-old man were found with multiple shots to their head, according to police. Their identities were not known.
“Nothing like this happens around here,” said a mother who lived on the block and was waiting to return home last Thursday evening and declined to be identified.
The incident began around noon when police got a call about shots fired at the house, investigators said. When officers arrived at the house, they found the two victims in the basement of the house and they were pronounced dead at the scene, according to police.
Investigators did not say why the men were killed and there had been no arrests as of press time Tuesday. The investigation was ongoing.
The slayings were the first homicides in the 113th Precinct this year, according to police statistics. Overall crime has risen 18.52 percent in the precinct, which covers the neighborhoods of St. Albans, Hollis, Springfield Gardens, South Ozone Park, South Jamaica, Addisleigh Park and Locust Manor, with 96 incidents reported so far this year compared to 81 reported during the same time in 2009.
A young woman who was crying and repeatedly asked by officers to go to 113th Precinct for help refused to comment. Several neighbors watched in shock as the medical examiner’s truck rolled in later in the evening and carted the bodies away.
A neighbor who lives on the block said most of the people who live in the area work days and were not around when the shooting happened. He added they also keep to themselves and did not know the slain men.
Anyone with information is urged to call Crimestoppers at 1-800-577-TIPS, text their tips to 274637 then enter TIP577 or log on to nypdcrimestoppers.com. All reports will be kept confidential.
Reach reporter Ivan Pereira by e-mail at ipereira@cnglocal.com or by phone at 718-229-0300, Ext. 146.
