A man died after being shot in the head while inside a smoke shop in the New York City neighborhood of Harlem on Sunday, according to sources.
Footage of the deadly encounter shows the 36-year-old victim standing in the smoke shop with about nine other individuals. The victim, who is wearing a tan jacket, appears to be speaking with the suspect before he is handed something at the counter and begins to walk away.
As he walks past, the suspect appears to shoot him in the head from behind as other customers flee the scene. The suspect then begins to walk away, before stopping to shoot the man once more and rummage through his pockets, ABC 7 News reported.
Police release new video of suspect in deadly Harlem smoke shop shooting https://t.co/YsNzymTQfA pic.twitter.com/BgdCC43iIe
— New York Post (@nypost) April 10, 2023
Law enforcement officials confirmed that the victim, whose name has not been released, had suffered gunshot wounds to both the head and back when they arrived on the scene, according to the New York Post. The victim was transported to NYC Health and Hospitals/Harlem where he was later pronounced dead, authorities stated, per the outlet. (RELATED: Temple University Police Officer Brutally Murdered, 18-Year-Old Suspect Detained)
“It’s a shame, because it’s not just that someone was killed,” one neighborhood resident explained to ABC 7 News. “We have destroyed a family or two, at this point.”
“I’m fed up with all of this,” said another. “I don’t understand why they can’t talk things out. Why you gotta be killing each other? This is so sad, so sad.”
Police are seeking the public’s help in identifying the suspect, who is believed to have fled the scene on foot, clad in dark clothing.