A Virginia man was fatally shot Sunday in New York City in broad daylight, and his brother reportedly had a heart attack upon learning of his death.
Ronald Thomas, 27, had gotten into an “intense” argument with a woman before a man pulled up next to his Mercedes-Benz and opened fire, witnesses told the New York Daily News. Thomas was on the Upper West Side in a cul-de-sac by the Frederick Douglass Houses, a public housing development, when one of the bullets struck him in the head and killed him, the outlet continued.
A neighbor looked out her window and saw Thomas’s body in the Mercedes, according to the report. Thomas, originally from the Bronx, was visiting the city from Virginia, a cousin told the outlet. The shooter sped off after Thomas’ murder and remains at large, the NY Daily News continued.
Andy Vermaut shares:NYC visitor shot dead in broad daylight, brother suffers heart attack after hearing news: A Virginia man visiting New York City was fatally shot in the head… https://t.co/Cc2SiE6EP1 Thank you. #ThankYouJournalistsForTheNewsWeGetFromYou #AndyVermautThanksYou pic.twitter.com/aAVV9sanq2
— Andy Vermaut (@AndyVermaut) May 2, 2022
When his family was informed of his murder, Thomas’s brother reportedly went into cardiac arrest from the shock, Carmen Quinones, president of the Frederick Douglass Houses, said according to the outlet. “The oldest brother found out, now he’s in the hospital with cardiac arrest,” she reportedly said.
Thomas’ brother is in critical condition, Quinones said, according to the outlet. (RELATED: REPORT: At Least 10 People Shot, Several In Critical Condition After Shooting On NYC Subway)
Thomas’ cousin was also recently shot in the same area but survived the ordeal, the outlet reported. “I don’t know what’s going on over here, I don’t know if it’s gangs or what,” Thomas’ other cousin, Dwayne Martin, told the NY Daily News.
New York City is undergoing a rapid increase in violent crime, with shootings surging 97% in 2020 and increasing throughout 2021 and 2022. In February, NYC saw a 58.7% increase in overall crime compared to the same period in 2021.