A man was found fatally shot in a NYCHA building stairwell in the Bronx. According to the Gothamist, 38-year-old Gregory Stewart was discovered with a gunshot wound to the head at the Sotomayor Houses on Watson Avenue in Soundview. NYPD officers responded to a 911 call shortly after 9 p.m. Stewart, who lived in Wakefield, more than four miles away, was pronounced dead at Jacobi Hospital. A person of interest is in custody as the investigation continues.
Prior to this incident, the city had recorded 12 consecutive days without a homicide, matching a milestone last seen in 2015. The PIX11 reports that the motive for the shooting remains unclear. The victim, Gregory Stewart, did not reside at the Sotomayor Houses but on Barnes Avenue.
In the 43rd Precinct of Soundview, individual shooting incidents increased by 30%, while citywide figures showed a 23% decrease in shootings and a 21% decrease in homicides. For the first 11 months of the past year, the city recorded its lowest number of shootings.
Officials have not yet announced any charges as the investigation into Stewart's death continues. This year began with a reduction in violent incidents, including a decrease in precinct-level homicides. Gothamist states that the 43rd Precinct recorded one fewer homicide compared with the same point last year.
