61-year-old grandmother killed in Harlem crossfire, police say
Harlem community mourns grandmother killed in crossfire
A Harlem community gathered to remember Excenia Mette, a 61-year-old grandmother who was fatally shot after getting caught in the crossfire of a gunfight on Malcolm X Boulevard. Mette, described as a pillar of her neighborhood, was not the intended target. FOX 5's Kendall Green has the story.
NEW YORK - A Harlem mother and grandmother was shot and killed Tuesday night when she was caught in the middle of gunfire between two groups. Police say she was not the intended target.
What we know:
The NYPD says the shooting happened around 10:20 p.m. along Malcolm X Boulevard in Harlem. Officers say two groups were firing at each other when 61-year-old Excenia Mette was struck by a bullet while standing on the sidewalk.
Mette, a resident of the block where the shooting occurred, was shot in the head. She was transported to Mount Sinai Morningside Hospital, where she was later pronounced dead.
What they're saying:
Mayor Eric Adams condemned the shooting during a press conference, blaming recidivism and calling attention to violent repeat offenders.
"No one expects coming from a store, beauty salon, or visiting a loved one to have notification that they lost a loved one due to this senseless violence," Adams said. "But again, the action of repeated offenders—just last year stabbing two people, doing a robbery—is now involved in a shooting that took the life of a working-class person here in the city."
A 23-year-old man was also shot in the foot during the incident and is listed in stable condition at the same hospital.
What's next:
Police say a person of interest is currently in custody, but no charges have been filed yet in connection with the shooting.
An investigation into the shooting remains active.