Three men were killed in a trio of separate shootings in the Bronx and Queens between Saturday night and early Sunday morning, according to police. Four others were wounded in three additional incidents of gun violence citywide.
The first homicide took place at 10:45 p.m. on Aug. 8 at the corner of East 165th Street and Prospect Avenue in the Melrose section of the Bronx.
Officers from the 42nd Precinct, in responding to a 911 call at the scene, found Curtis Holley, 36, of West 142nd Street in Hamilton Heights unconscious on the pavement with a gunshot wound to his abdomen.
Paramedics rushed the victim to Lincoln Hospital, where he died of his injuries. So far, no arrests have been made in the ongoing investigation..
On Sunday morning, detectives were spotted searching for video from stores along Prospect Avenue, some stores closed and unable to provide video at this time.
The crime scene apparently stretched nearly half a block, as sources said the gunman chased the victim and shot him near St. Augustine Presbyterian Church and then him collapsing about 50 feet away.
“It’s usually quiet over here,” said one man who lives at a shelter across the street. “They don’t usually shoot over here.”
The second deadly shooting happened in Long Island City, Queens at 3:25 a.m. on Aug. 9, where a 23-year-old man was shot in the abdomen near the Queensbridge Houses at 10-03 40th Ave.
Officers from the 114th Precinct made the discovery. Paramedics rushed the victim, identified as Madgey Saleh of 12th Street in Long Island City, to Cornell Medical Center, where he died.
At the scene of this shooting, numerous spent casings were on the ground around a 24-hour bodega that his friends called “the artist” was shot to death in front. Bullets also pierced a steel gate, apparently, Saleh was shot close range by the gunman.
One man, who wouldn’t be identified, said Saleh actually lived in Long Island and was attending art school, but was off because of Covid-19.
“He was a good kid, I don’t know who would want to kill him out here,” the man said, adding, “but sure he wanted to kill him. I just don’t know why. He was really not involved in things here, his family only lived here.”
No arrests have been made in the ongoing investigation.
On Sunday afternoon, the NYPD reported that a Bronx man died hours after being shot in the back on a Queens street.
The shooting happened at 4:30 a.m. on Aug. 9 in front of a home on 183rd Street near 146th Terrace in Springfield Gardens.
Officers from the 105th Precinct, while responding to a 911 call about gunfire, were met by individuals who said a 25-year-old man had been shot in the lower back moments earlier, and had been taken to a local hospital.
Police later learned that Jonathan Distant, 25, of Murdock Avenue in the Bronx, was the individual gunned down at the location. He was brought to Jamaica Hospital, where he was pronounced dead.
No arrests have been made, and the investigation is ongoing.
Here is a rundown of the other shootings in the city:
Aug. 9, 1:02 a.m. – Two men were shot in front of 88-13 Corona Ave. near 90th Street in Corona, Queens. Cops from the 110th Precinct found a 22-year-old man shot in the left shoulder and a 24-year-old man shot in the shoulder and buttocks.
Both men were rushed to Elmhurst Hospital in stable condition.
Police took a suspect into custody for questioning; no charges have been filed as of yet.
Aug. 9, 5 a.m. – A 29-year-old man was shot twice in the buttocks at 125 West 137th St. in Harlem. Officers from the 32nd Precinct found the victim on the pavement in front of the location and he was then transported to Harlem Hospital.
Aug. 9, 5:07 a.m. – A 24-year-old man was found shot in the head in front of 1158 Boynton Ave. near Westchester Avenue, in the Soundview section of the Bronx. The victim was said to be clinging to life at Lincoln Hospital.
Cops are looking for the suspected shooter, described as a Hispanic man wearing black clothing.
Though there were no reported shooting incidents in Brooklyn overnight, the NYPD released photos of the suspected getaway car involved in the July 1 shooting of a 26-year-old man on East 23rd Street in Flatbush.
The vehicle is shown fleeing along Cortelyou Road.
Anyone with information regarding these incidents can call Crime Stoppers at 800-577-TIPS (for Spanish, dial 888-57-PISTA). You can also submit tips online at nypdcrimestoppers.com, or on Twitter @NYPDTips. All calls and messages are kept confidential.
With additional reporting by Robert Pozarycki
This story was updated on Aug. 9 at 12:25 p.m.
