The NYPD has intensified its appeal to the public for assistance in solving the fatal shooting of 21-year-old Dashanna Donovan, who was killed in her Queens apartment building on September 12. According to a Gothamist report, police have released new surveillance images showing a male suspect wearing a blue hooded sweatshirt and carrying a black backpack, and are requesting any information that could assist in locating him.
Donovan, whose life ended in the courtyard and basement of her East Elmhurst residence, was reportedly approached by a man who appears to have known her, as evidenced by the released surveillance footage. The killer pursued Donovan after she recognized him and attempted to flee but was ultimately caught and shot multiple times. Donovan had previously resided in South Carolina and had moved to New York to avoid an abusive relationship, an angle that investigators are pursuing, as per information from an interview by NY Daily News with NYPD Chief of Detectives Joseph Kenny.
The NYPD responded to the incident due to its tragic nature and because Donovan is the 12th woman to be a victim of gun violence in New York City this year, a statistic highlighted by Gothamist. The NYPD’s Crime Stoppers Hotline is being used to collect tips that could assist in identifying the motive and the suspect’s connection to the victim.
After completing her shift at a nearby McDonald’s, Donovan was outside her home when the incident occurred. "He had a motive," Donovan’s mother, Helena Hypolite, told NY Daily News, "He knew why. He knew what he was doing." The shooter's unique blue Under Armour hoodie and escape route, which included riding a bus and a train and skipping a subway fare at Canal St. station, were all tracked using surveillance footage, but he remains at large.
Anyone with information regarding the case is encouraged to reach out to the NYPD's Crime Stoppers Hotline at 1-800-577-TIPS (8477), or for Spanish, 1-888-57-PISTA (74782), and can also submit tips through the Crime Stoppers website.
