In an incident in Ridgewood, Queens, a 19-year-old man was fatally shot in front of a school last night. The victim, identified as Kevin Hernandez, succumbed to his injuries after being hit in the torso, according to police reports.
The shooting occurred around 5:45 p.m. near the intersection of George St. and Seneca Ave. ABC 7 New York reported that the suspects, described only as a group of males, fled on foot in an unknown direction after the gunfire. As of now, no arrests have been made, and, the investigation is ongoing.
Amid the chaos, local resident Cecilia Tavarez shared her experience in the moments following the attack. "I heard two shots — pop, pop," Tavarez told The Daily News. She further described the grisly scene, "I saw the boy on the floor on his back next to the pump, he was face up and his body was white, all white." Despite her attempts to assist, she could not find a pulse.
Hernandez was quickly transported to Brookdale University Hospital, yet despite efforts to save his life, he was pronounced dead. The incident, believed to be targeted, has prompted an appeal to the public for assistance in identifying the perpetrators. Sources close to the investigation shared with The Daily News that police are on the hunt for three individuals who were seen running north toward Myrtle Ave. after the shooting. Those with any information are urged to contact Crime Stoppers at (800) 577-TIPS, all calls received are kept confidential.
