Double shooting at Tompkins Square Park leaves 1 dead, another critical
NEW YORK - Two men were shot inside Tompkins Square Park on Friday morning, leaving one dead and another badly injured.
The shooting occurred at approximately 9:50 a.m. inside the park. Investigators say a suspect opened fire and struck two men, ages 74 and 44.
The 74-year-old man died at the hospital, while the 44-year-old man, who was shot in the torso, was rushed to Bellevue Hospital in stable condition, but has since taken a turn for the worse.
This incident is just the latest in a string of shootings at Tompkins Square Park. Last March, a 26-year-old man and a 35-year-old woman were shot in the same area.
People who live nearby, including a mother who regularly lets her daughter play in the park, expressed shock but not surprise at the news.
Andre DiMatello lives nearby, and he's frustrated by what he sees as growing crime. He plans to move out of the area because he can't take the combination of high rent and crime.
"Yeah, I moved here about a year ago, and I think the frequency of these events has increased in the past few months. I am moving out in a few months partly due to the crime and violence," DiMatello said.
Police are actively investigating the theory that this shooting may be drug-related, but evidence has not been disclosed. The suspect, described as wearing a black jacket, faded blue jeans, a black bucket hat, black sneakers, white gloves, and a white mask, fled the scene, heading north on East 7th Street and Avenue B.
The names of the victims have not been released, as their families have not been notified. The alleged killer remains at large.
Violence near Tompkins Square Park
FOX 5 has previously reported on safety concerns in the area of East 14th Street not too far from Tompkins Square Park.
There, residents have raised concerns about unsafe conditions, including the constant presence of homeless and mentally ill individuals.
Residents say that the city must make a decision on whether they want to clean up the area.
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East Village triple stabbing exposes ongoing issues on certain NYC blocks
Ongoing issues on 14th Street in NYC were highlighted again this week after a triple stabbing in the East Village. More police are in the area, but people living there say more has to be done.
A deadly triple stabbing in the East Village in June helped to expose the ongoing issues in the area.
In the stabbing caught on video, Alejandro Piedro, 30, of East New York, Brooklyn, is seen launching an unprovoked attack on a 52-year-old woman.
Piedra, seen wearing a bandana, a tan shirt, and a dark cape, wields a sharp object in his hand.
The video shows Piedra attacking a female victim, stabbing her even as she is on the ground on her back. The woman kicks and attempts to fight him off, before a man in a yellow shirt jumps in to help her fight off the attacker.
The man is then seen being stabbed six times around his neck and shoulder by Piedra.
Neighbors and residents in the East Village say they were deeply troubled by the violent incident, but not surprised.