Police in New York City are searching for a suspect who was caught on video suddenly shooting a man in the head at point-blank range while walking with him on a residential street over the weekend, authorities said Wednesday.
The shooting happened just after 8 p.m. Saturday along Grassmere Terrace in the Far Rockaway neighborhood located in Queens, police said.
Police released graphic video showing the victim, later identified as 26-year-old Peter Panthier, of Brooklyn, walking with another man. The unidentified man suddenly draws a firearm and fires a shot at Panthier’s head, the video shows.
Police said the suspect fired multiple shots at the victim, who suffered a gunshot wound to the left side of his neck and head.
Panthier is seen on video falling to the ground as the suspect flees the scene.
First responders rushed Panthier to St. John’s Episcopal Hospital, where he died from his injuries.
No arrests have been made as of Thursday morning.
Authorities asked anyone with information on the whereabouts of the suspect to call the NYPD's Crime Stoppers Hotline at 1-800-577-TIPS (8477).
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Under Mayor Eric Adams’ efforts to crack down on crime, the NYPD earlier this month launched a new gun crimes unit to combat gun violence. In the Neighborhood Safety Teams first six days on the streets, officers made 31 arrests and seized 10 illegal guns.
As of Sunday, citywide murders were down 5.1% year-to-date, with police data showing 93 reported murders so far this year compared to 98 during the same period in 2021.
While NYPD data showed murders decreasing, the number of both shooting victims and shooting incidents were up year-to-date.
Shooting victims rose 16.9% citywide year-to-date, according to NYPD data, with 312 reported compared to 267 during the same period last year. There have been 279 shooting incidents reported so far this year, a 17.2% increase compared to the 238 reported during the same period in 2021.