Just after midnight Tuesday, a 39-year-old woman from Mount Vernon was gunned down on a Bronx street, and the shooter took off on a moped, according to police. Officers found the woman on Murdock Avenue with multiple gunshot wounds to the chest and rushed her to a nearby hospital, where she was pronounced dead. Detectives spent hours working the block, marking evidence and speaking with residents, but by early morning no arrests had been made.
Scene and investigation
Police later identified the victim as 39-year-old Julia Andrews, as reported by ABC7 New York. She was discovered shortly after midnight lying on Murdock Avenue, and investigators also focused on a parked vehicle that had its passenger-side window pierced by gunfire. Detectives told the station they are treating the case as an active homicide investigation and were canvassing the neighborhood for witnesses and surveillance video.
Moped getaways complicate manhunts
Mopeds have increasingly become a go-to escape option in New York City shootings, giving suspects a fast way to weave through traffic and disappear before officers can close in. In April, suspects in the fatal shooting of a 7-month-old in Brooklyn fled on a moped and crashed shortly after, a case that showed how quickly suspects can vanish, according to 1010 WINS.
Family remembers Andrews
Relatives shared a photo of Andrews and told ABC7 New York that she worked with people with disabilities and was about one month away from celebrating her 40th birthday. Family members described her as hardworking and urged anyone who may have video, images or information about the shooting to step up and help investigators.
How to help the investigation
Anyone with information is asked to call the NYPD Crime Stoppers hotline at 1-800-577-TIPS or submit an anonymous tip through the NYPD Crime Stoppers portal. The online tip form can accept video and surveillance uploads, which investigators say can be crucial in homicide cases.
