By Chris Engelhardt
Police were still searching for a suspect involved in the fatal shooting of a 27-year-old man in a residential section of Corona early Tuesday morning, the NYPD said.
Police said that around 1:55 a.m. Tuesday, officers responded to a 911 call of a man shot in front of a house on 104th Street near 37th Road within the confines of the 115th Precinct.
When they arrived, officers found the victim unconscious and unresponsive with one gunshot wound to his head. EMS arrived at the scene and pronounced the victim dead on arrival.
As of Wednesday, police still had not identified the victim and the investigation was continuing. No arrests had been made.
A group of residents gathered outside a home on 104th Street told TimesLedger Newspapers that two gunshots struck the house: One hit the front of the home and the other struck and pierced the front metal door, entering the hallway wall.
Corona resident Andre, who declined to provide his last name, said his elderly mother lives in the house and was sleeping when the shooting occurred. He quickly pointed out, however, that the incident actually took place next door. A small amount of blood remained on the ground in front of the steps outside that property.
“I ran over here around 9 a.m. The police wanted authorization to remove the bullet from the hallway,” he said, noting that sometimes a group of between six to seven teenagers would gather from next door and sit outside on his mother’s property. “I’d say, listen, you have to leave me some space.”
Andre said police said the recovered bullet came from a .45 caliber handgun.
Another resident, who declined to give her name, said she was shocked by the shooting and that she knew the victim.
“I couldn’t believe it,” she said. “It’s crazy because it’s close to home.”
Of the victim, she said, “We always used to chill here — I knew him,” she said. “He was a quiet guy, he was friendly. I’m just very shocked.”
Reach reporter Chris Engelhardt by e-mail at cengelhardt@cnglocal.com or by phone at 718-260-4564.
