UNIVERSITY HEIGHTS, the Bronx (PIX11) --- A migrant allegedly shot and killed two people and injured another during a fight between squatters and longtime residents in a Bronx apartment building, authorities said.
The victims, Claretha Daniels, 44, and Justin Lawless, 36, were hanging out with neighbors outside the complex on 2290 Davidson Ave. in University Heights at around 12:15 a.m. on May 24 when Daniels told her friends one of the migrants had "disrespected her," according to NYPD Chief of Detectives Joseph Kenny.
"A comment was made. She took offense to it," Kenny said, adding it was unclear what was said.
Then three of the longtime residents confronted the group of migrants who had been squatting in abandoned apartments in the building for the past six months, police said. The migrants then went into the building to get their friends and came back with knives and bats.
During the fight, Josue Silva allegedly pulled a gun and shot a 40-year-old man in the arm before shooting Daniels and Lawless in the chest as he was running from the scene, according to Kenny. The victims died at the hospital.
"As he's running past them, he hits them both in the chest, kills them both," Kenny said.
Silva, who is from Venezuela, has not been arrested yet and is allegedly connected to a non-fatal shooting in the same building where a migrant shot himself in the hand on Feb. 24, authorities said. The migrant told cops Silva gave him the gun.
"They're squatters. They (the migrants) broke into the vacant apartments," Kenny said.
Submit tips to police by calling Crime Stoppers at 1-800-577-TIPS (8477), visiting crimestoppers.nypdonline.org, downloading the NYPD Crime Stoppers mobile app, or texting 274637 (CRIMES) then entering TIP577. Spanish-speaking callers are asked to dial 1-888-57-PISTA (74782).
Article From:
pix11.com
English (US) ·