Deadly shooting near Randall's Island migrant shelter may have been retaliation, NYC police say
NEW YORK -- A deadly shooting near a migrant shelter in New York City may have been retaliation for another crime, police said.
A gunman fatally shot one person and injured two near the shelter on Randall's Island early Monday morning.
At a late-afternoon press conference, police said they were still looking for the shooter.
Shooter may have been seeking revenge
The NYPD said a male shooter fired into a crowd that was gathered for the presidential election in Venezuela. A 44-year-old woman was shot twice and killed, police said. The injured victims, a man and a woman in their 30s, were in stable condition at the hospital, according to police.
According to investigators, the shooting may have been retaliation for an earlier robbery.
"Right now, the motive that we are going with that the person who did the shooting was the victim of an unreported gunpoint robbery," NYPD Chief of Patrol John Chell said. "That happened earlier that evening, don't know the exact time. So that's the motive. That's who got shot. If anyone has any information in regards to this shooting, please call 1-800-577-TIPS."
Police sources said the shooter fled in a car. They do not believe he lives at the shelter.
2 of 3 victims live at migrant shelter
Two of the three victims live at the Randall's Island shelter for asylum seekers, said police.
"Being such a peaceful place to have something like that happen, I think it's really unfortunate," said Bethel Sabin of Queens.
"It's not good now. Before, very good because no [violence], no shooting, no nothing in this area," added Betor Vargas of Manhattan.
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.
