NYPD: Innocent woman shot, killed by stray bullet near Grand Concourse
NEW YORK -- An innocent woman walking down the street was shot and killed by a stray bullet Monday in the Bronx. NYPD Commissioner Keechant Sewell called it "another act of senseless violence on the streets of this city."
Police identified the victim as 61-year-old Juana Esperanza Soriano De-Perdomo. They said she was shot in the back when two groups opened fire on each other down the block.
The groups started shooting on 188th Street off the Grand Concourse at around 7 p.m., police said. Surveillance video shows witnesses running and gunshots rang out.
"There are two groups of men having a dispute on the south side of 188th Street between Creston and the Grand Concourse. At some point, multiple guns are pointed at each other," NYPD Deputy Chief Erik Hernandez said.
"I heard more like six shots, or like six to eight shots, and then I hear people screaming out from the grocery store, then they ran out, and then I saw the lady stumble in front of the deli and she just fell back," witness Chris Simono told CBS2.
A few hours earlier, the family of 12-year-old Kade Lewin, who was killed by a stray bullet in Brooklyn on Thursday, pleaded for help finding the gunman.
"Please, somebody say something. I'm asking for justice for Kade. Please," said the boy's mother Suzette Lewin.
Kade Lewin was killed while sitting in a parked car off Linden Boulevard with his 20-year-old cousin Jenna Ellis and her 8-year-old niece.
Police said passengers in two nearby cars started shooting at each other. Lewin was shot in the head and died at the scene. Ellis was shot six times and was still fighting for her life on Monday.
"My nephew, he's gone, no more to return in this world. My daughter, laid up in the hospital, blaming herself. Why should she blame herself?" said Jennifer Jones Ellis.
Shootings in New York City are up 13% compared to the same time in 2021. They're up 74% compared to 2020.
Last month, the NYPD deployed Neighborhood Safety Teams tasked with getting guns off the streets. Police said teams were deployed in the Bronx precinct, but they are adding additional resources after Monday's shooting.
Police have not made any arrests in the Bronx shooting or the one in Brooklyn.
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.
