A 38-year-old man was found dead in his car early Sunday after he was shot just a few blocks from Coney Island’s famed boardwalk, police said. Officers responding to reports of gunfire discovered the mortally wounded driver on W. 35th Street near Bayview Avenue, where he was pronounced dead at the scene. Detectives have not yet released his name as the investigation moves forward.
Shots rang out around 1:30 a.m. on Ocean Drive near Surf Avenue, the dead-end stretch that feeds into the Riegelmann Boardwalk. Investigators believe the victim tried to escape the barrage in his vehicle and managed to drive about five blocks before collapsing, suffering gunshot wounds to his chest and arm, according to the New York Daily News.
Victim Found In Car On West 35th Street
Responding officers traced the incident to West 35th Street, where they found the 38-year-old inside a vehicle parked in front of 2590 West 35th Street, according to PIX11. EMS workers declared him dead at the scene. No arrests have been made, and detectives have been knocking on doors and scanning nearby buildings for any surveillance or doorbell camera footage that could help identify a shooter.
ShotSpotter System Flags Overnight Gunfire
Police say the first alert did not come from a 911 caller but from the NYPD’s ShotSpotter system, a network of sensors that detects possible gunfire. The New York Daily News reports the system uses roughly 2,000 sensors around the city. Investigators are using the timing of that activation, along with witness calls, to guide an early search of the boardwalk corridor and nearby side streets.
Fresh Fears After Another Deadly Coney Island Shooting
The killing has stirred up memories of a previous deadly shooting near Surf Avenue and West 36th Street last year that left an 18-year-old dead and triggered community worry about recurring violence. Residents and local leaders have again called for more cameras and stepped-up patrols along the boardwalk and Surf Avenue corridor, hoping to head off yet another tragedy in the busy seaside neighborhood.
Anyone with video or information is urged to contact NYPD Crime Stoppers. Tips can be shared anonymously by calling 1-800-577-TIPS or by submitting information through the NYPD Crime Stoppers website, PIX11 noted. Investigators say they are still processing the scene and reviewing video as they search for whoever opened fire near the boardwalk.
