Manhunt for gunman who shot 2 in the head near East Harlem school
NEW YORK - Police are searching for the gunman who killed two people in East Harlem.
The victims were shot in the head Sunday night near a school.
Blood could be seen on the sidewalk across from P.S. 30 in East Harlem, but many parents and children walking past didn't flinch Monday morning.
East Harlem resident Mayra Benitez said there have been several shootings in the neighborhood.
"This is the third time," she said.
Police responded to Lexington Avenue and East 128th Street around 7:30 Sunday night after neighbors reported hearing several gunshots. There, they found 18-year-old Ashley Ballard shot in the head and back and 25-year-old Harry Mendoza shot in the head. They were both rushed to Harlem Hospital and died hours apart.
"You've got schools here. You've got churches, holy places. People don't care. I think they gun culture in general is out of control," East Harlem resident Luke Weston said.
Police said they don't have a motive for the shooting, or know what relationship, if any, the victims had with one another.
For several hours, detectives searched the neighborhood, which is filled with parks and playgrounds, for shell casings and witnesses, even deploying a drone. Neighbors at a loss for why this keeps happening.
"Next to a school district. That's horrible," one person said.
"Stuff like that happens all the time. A couple months ago, someone was killed by the liquor store, and somebody else was killed over by Lenox Avenue," another resident said.
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.
