July 20, 2021 By Michael Dorgan
The police have released dramatic video footage of a 16-year-old boy being hunted down and shot in broad daylight outside a 99 cent store in Jamaica Sunday.
The video, released by police Monday, shows the teen attempting to evade a gunman outside 110-52 Merrick Blvd. at around 2:20 p.m. and then getting shot in the leg as he tries to run for safety.
The teen had been chased down the street by the armed suspect, a male, before stopping outside the store and using a red-bricked pillar as cover to dodge the triggerman.
The victim can be seen clinging to the pillar in fear with both hands as the gunman stalks him and points his weapon in order to get a clear shot. The 16-year-old then scampers around the pillar before darting away but the gunman fires off one shot – striking the victim in the right leg.
The suspect flees the scene on foot northbound on Merrick Boulevard, the footage shows.
The victim was transported to Jamaica Hospital Medical Center in a stable condition, police said.
Police said a motive for the shooting has not yet been established. The victim told police that he does not know the suspect.
The NYPD also released CCTV footage of the perpetrator entering the 99 cent store shortly before the incident. The footage shows the assailant wearing a dark-colored T-shirt, gray jeans and white sneakers.
Police describe the suspect as being approximately 5 feet 4 inches tall and weighing around 120 pounds.
Anyone with information in regard to this incident is asked to call the NYPD’s Crime Stoppers Hotline at 1-800-577-TIPS (8477) or for Spanish, 1-888-57-PISTA (74782). The public can also submit their tips by logging onto the Crime Stoppers website at WWW.NYPDCRIMESTOPPERS.COM, or on Twitter @NYPDTips.