Beloved food delivery worker killed in Queens
NEW YORK - The NYPD was searching for the gunman who opened fire on beloved food delivery worker Zhiwen Yan, 45, while on his scooter making a delivery in the Forest Hills section of Queens. According to police, Yan was shot in the chest around 9:30 p.m. on Saturday near the intersection of 108th Street and 67th Drive.
EMS responded and took Yan to Elmhurst Hospital, where he was pronounced dead.
Police say they believe that he was simply passing through the neighborhood on his scooter when someone fired a gun several times, striking him.
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Yan delivered for The Great Wall, a nearby Chinese restaurant.
"He was the heart of Forest Hills to so many," said Matthew Murray, who lives nearby.
Members of the community say they have been shaken to the core by Yan's killing and gathered Sunday for a memorial to the beloved husband and father, dropping off flowers and signing cards of condolence.
"He was the nicest person, I'm like, what happened?" said Denise Castagna, a neighbor.
"He was the hardest worker," Murray said. "He was always out on Queens Boulevard, he would always say hi to you. He would say ‘Hi my friend’ to you."
It is unknown if Yan was the target of the shooting.
Police believe the shooter got into a gray or tan sedan and sped away from the scene.
So far, no arrests have been made in connection to the shooting, and an investigation is ongoing.
A GoFundMe page raised more than $100,000 for the family.
On Saturday, New York City Mayor Eric Adams met with NYPD officials to brainstorm a plan to keep the city's streets safe in the face of rising crime.