Police: Pedro Cintron wanted in double shooting that left 1 woman dead, 1 wounded in Ridgewood, Queens
NEW YORK -- One woman is dead and another is in critical condition following a shooting in Queens on Monday morning.
Police say it started as a domestic incident and a neighbor, trying to help, also got shot, CBS2's Jenna DeAngelis reported.
Police are still looking for the shooter, identified as 55-year-old Pedro Cintron, but they have not given more information about him. Investigators were still here going in and out of the Ridgewood building Monday afternoon as neighbors stood by in disbelief.
"I heard things that are scary, the helicopters, the drones, being told get in my apartment for my safety," neighbor Nicholas Pascale said.
Pascale is among community members startled by a shooting and police activity in their neighborhood.
"It's not the norm here. It's usually a very good, quiet neighborhood," Anne Marie Kenyon said.
"It's pretty disturbing to know stuff like that is next to you," added Rico Stephen of Bakers Dozen Bagels.
At around 8:15 a.m., police were called to an apartment on Fresh Pond Road, near Palmetto Street, and found two women shot. According to the NYPD, it started as a domestic incident. They said Cintron shot 51-year-old Migdalia Ortega in the head. Sources said she was his girlfriend.
"During the dispute, the 48-year-old second-floor neighbor went to check on the third-floor occupants. She was then shot and fled back to her apartment. The male suspect followed her and continued shooting," said NYPD Deputy Chief Julie Morrill.
Police said they found shell casings throughout the hallway and stairwell.
The suspect drove off. Officers alerted neighbors.
"They said, 'Stay inside your store because there is a killer here. There was a crime so you have to stay inside your store,' and we didn't go outside," said Jamal Albahri, owner of Fresh Pond Hardware.
Albahri said he didn't know what was going on, other than what he saw out his store window.
"They took two bodies to the ambulance. They were covered all with blood, up to their feet, and it was sad. There was like 14-year-old crying," Albahri said.
Ortega was pronounced dead at Elmhurst Hospital. She worked for the NYPD Information Technology Bureau and had 11 years of service to the city.
"There's no words to explain exactly how we feel. We feel deeply for the family and we're there to support them in anything they may need," NYPD Assistant Chief Galen Frierson said.
Police said the other victim is in critical condition. The motive for the shooting is unclear at this time, but CBS2 was told there were no prior reports of domestic violence between the people involved.
Anyone with any information is asked to call the NYPD's Crime Stoppers hotline at 1-800-577-TIPS (8477), or for Spanish, 1-888-57-PISTA (74782). You can also submit a tip via their website or via DM on Twitter, @NYPDTips. All calls are kept confidential.