An elderly man died after a scooter-riding gunman went on a shooting spree in New York City Saturday as police explored the possibility the suspect used a ghost gun.
(Video: WABC)
Four separate incidents within a half-hour span were said to have been perpetrated by one 25-year-old male Saturday as he made his way through the boroughs of Brooklyn and Queens riding what NYPD said was an illegal scooter.
According to a timeline provided by law enforcement at an afternoon press conference, the suspect whose name had not been revealed had first opened fire on a 21-year-old in Cypress Hills, striking him in the shoulder before proceeding to the Richmond Hill area where an 87-year-old pedestrian was shot in the back.
Those incidents, reported at 11:10 and 11:27 a.m. were followed by two additional shootings at 11:35 and 11:37 a.m. when a 44-year-old man was struck in the face and a 63-year was wounded in the shoulder.
While the first and last victims were said to have non-life-threatening injuries, the 87-year-old was fatally wounded and the 44-year-old had been hospitalized in critical condition.
Surveillance footage shared online captured multiple angles of the murder of the elderly man who could be seen turning about to see where initial gunshots had come from before he himself was struck, and one of the other incidents as well.
Warning: Graphic
Man Opens Fire on Pedestrians in #NewYork – One Dead, Three Injured
The suspect was seen riding around on a scooter, brandishing a gun. The motive remains unclear after his arrest.#Shooting pic.twitter.com/hQjZiOmor0
— RT_India (@RT_India_news) July 9, 2023
Warning graphic#NYC: At least 4 people shot in multiple locations in #Queens
Police confirm man on scooter went on shooting spree in Queens, New York, killing 1 and injuring 3. Suspect in custody pic.twitter.com/56MIAd3nzI
— RawNews1st (@Raw_News1st) July 9, 2023
Speaking with the New York Post, a police source contended, “This guy had a lot of ammunition on him. There were going to be other bodies dropped.”
Following a press conference where NYPD Commissioner Edward Caban and Assistant Police Chief Joseph Kenny both spoke, images of the scooter and firearm were provided to the public.
Below are photos of the scooter and firearm recovered at the scene. pic.twitter.com/xtFxtT1bCZ
— NYPD NEWS (@NYPDnews) July 8, 2023
However, what had not been revealed was the identity of the suspect who had been described by at least one police source as a Hispanic man with a heavy build. Commenting on that fact, Ian Miles Cheong posted one available image of the suspect captioned, “This murderer fired on random people in Queens yesterday, killing an elderly man and seriously wounding three other people. Why isn’t more being said about him in the media?”
This murderer fired on random people in Queens yesterday, killing an elderly man and seriously wounding three other people. Why isn’t more being said about him in the media? pic.twitter.com/amTErG6lBm
— Ian Miles Cheong (@stillgray) July 9, 2023
You know exactly why. He’s the wrong color to demonize for the media.
— T.J. Moe (@TJMoe28) July 9, 2023
Gee, I wonder
— Horror, bourbon and pitbulls (@Haywood83062662) July 9, 2023
I know your question was rhetorical
To every one else: If you have to ask the question, you haven’t been paying attention— Kirk Brown (@The_Kirk_Brown) July 9, 2023
Caban and Kenny both pointed focus toward the firearm with the former stating, “A firearm was recovered in the scooter — a 9mm pistol and extended magazine. Given the violence this person was going to carry out I want to extend my deepest thanks to all the men and women in the NYPD.”
Meanwhile, the latter added, “We have not found a serial number on the gun. We’re trying to determine whether it’s defaced, or possibly a ghost gun. That’ll come out later on in our investigation.”
“We don’t know the motive…If you look at the demographics and pedigree of the victims, they’re all different,” Kenny added. “At this time, video shows that he’s not targeting anybody. He’s not following anybody as he’s driving on his scooter, he’s randomly shooting people.”
WABC noted that the suspect was said to have one prior arrest for a traffic violation and, at the time of this posting, charges had not yet been announced.
Native of Brooklyn, NY, Kevin Haggerty is a graduate of Hunter College where he studied Cultural Anthropology and Geography. An avid reader and truth seeker, he currently resides in Texas with his wife and their dog and, when he isn't researching current events and their impacts, you'll find him spending time with friends and family or working on his next novel.
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