Latest news with #ExceniaMette
Yahoo
a day ago
- Climate
- Yahoo
Shootings spike as temperatures rise in NYC, surging over 50% last week: NYPD data
Gun violence in New York City has spiked along with the mercury, with shootings up more than 50% last week compared to the same time last year — indicating that the Big Apple could be in for a bloody summer. A total of 23 shootings were reported across the five boroughs in the week starting April 21, according to new NYPD statistics — an increase of 53% from the 15 shootings tallied over the same period in 2024. Temperatures in Gotham hit a high of 82 degrees last Tuesday, making it the second-warmest day in April, according to Accuweather. Last week, overall, was the warmest week of the month, with the average temperature hovering around 74 degrees, the weather data show. The NYPD statistics also show that over a 28-day period ending on Sunday, gunplay was up 17% compared to last year — with 61 shootings, versus 52 shootings over the same period in 2024. Victims of the senseless violence last week include 61-year-old grandmother and trailblazing Harlem bodega owner Excenia Mette, who was caught in crossfire and fatally shot in the head when she ran outside to check on her grandson. Another innocent bystander, 28-year-old plumber's apprentice Daoud Marji, was also killed by a stray bullet to the head just a day later while he was visiting a pal in the Bronx. Meanwhile, an off-duty NYPD cop was grazed in the leg Sunday morning when two career criminals opened fire as they apparently tried to swipe his neon green BMW in Queens. And early Wednesday, a 29-year-old Times Square food vendor was shot and wounded following a fight over a backpack at Seventh Avenue and West 47th Street, according to the police. Adding fuel to the warm weather uptick in shootings, gun arrests were down about 17% last week and 30% over the 28-day period ending Sunday, compared to 2024, NYPD data shows. Still, the springtime surge didn't spoil the city's overall decline in shootings so far this year, with gunplay down 12% in the first four months of the year, compared to 2024, the stats show. There were 213 shootings in the first third of 2025, according to the latest overall figures updated Wednesday, on the last day of April. Murders, specifically, were down by 24% this year so far, with 92 deaths, the data show. The warm weather uptick comes after the NYPD touted a 23% plunge in shootings in the first quarter of 2025, ending in March. If the Big Apple stays on this trajectory, New Yorkers could see the lowest number of shootings on record in nearly a decade — since 2018. Subway crime also cratered below pre-pandemic levels during that period — a milestone that NYPD Commissioner Jessica Tisch credited Thursday to a surge of cops in the system. And in January and February, the city shattered a 30-year record for the fewest shootings in the first two months of the year.
Yahoo
20-05-2025
- Yahoo
Teen shot in ‘gang war' at Harlem NYCHA building: sources
HARLEM, Manhattan (PIX11) — A 15-year-old boy was shot multiple times during a gang-related shooting at a NYCHA complex in Manhattan Monday, according to police and sources. The teen was shot in front of the King Towers NYCHA building at 1370 Fifth Ave. in Harlem at around 2 p.m., police said. The boy was taken to the hospital in critical condition. More Local News Sources said there is a 'war' between two rival gangs at the NYCHA complex, but it was unclear if the teen was the intended target. Police said two males in dark-colored clothing fled on an e-bike after the incident. There have been no arrests. The shooting happened near where a beloved Harlem grandmother was shot and killed last month. Excenia Mette, 61, was fatally shot in the head by a stray bullet when she went to check on her grandson during a shootout near 113th Street and Lenox Avenue in Harlem on April 22, authorities said. Darious Smith, 23, and Ricky Shelby, 23, were arrested and charged with attempted murder and criminal possession of a weapon in connection with the incident, police said. Smith has 18 prior arrests, according to sources. Officials said the area has been plagued by gang violence within the city housing complexes. Submit tips to police by calling Crime Stoppers at 1-800-577-TIPS (8477), visiting downloading the NYPD Crime Stoppers mobile app, or texting 274637 (CRIMES) then entering TIP577. Spanish-speaking callers are asked to dial 1-888-57-PISTA (74782). Mira Wassef is a digital reporter who has covered news and sports in the NYC area for more than a decade. She has been with PIX11 News for two years. See more of her work here. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
New York Post
02-05-2025
- New York Post
Shootings spike as mercury rises in NYC, surging more than 50% last week: NYPD data
Gun violence in New York City has spiked along with the mercury, with shootings up more than 50% last week compared to the same time last year — indicating that the Big Apple could be in for a bloody summer. A total of 23 shootings were reported across the five boroughs in the week starting April 21, according to new NYPD statistics — an increase of 53% from the 15 shootings tallied over the same period in 2024. Temperatures in Gotham hit a high of 82 degrees last Tuesday, making it the second warmest day in April, according to Accuweather. Advertisement 5 Shootings saw more than a 50 percent spike in the Big Apple last week, compared to the same period in 2024. Robert Miller Last week, overall, was the warmest week of the month, with the average temperature hovering around 74 degrees, the weather data shows. The NYPD statistics also show that over a 28-day period ending on Sunday, gunplay was up 17% compared to last year — with 61 shootings, versus 52 shootings over the same period in 2024. Advertisement Victims of the senseless violence last week include 61-year-old grandmother and trailblazing Harlem bodega owner Excenia Mette, who was caught in crossfire and fatally shot in the head when she ran outside to check on her grandson. Another innocent bystander, 28-year-old plumber's apprentice Daoud Marji, was also killed by a stray bullet to the head just a day later while he was visiting a pal in the Bronx. 5 One of the victims of last week's gunfire was innocent grandmother Excenia Mette, 61, who was killed by a stray bullet on Tuesday, cops said. Excenia Mette/Facebook 5 Daoud Marji, 28, another innocent bystander, was fatally shot in the Bronx on Wednesday, police said. Advertisement Meanwhile, an off-duty NYPD cop was grazed in the leg Sunday morning when two career criminals opened fire as they apparently tried to swipe his neon green BMW in Queens. And early Wednesday, a 29-year-old Times Square food vendor was shot and wounded following a fight over a backpack at Seventh Avenue and West 47th Street, according to the police. Adding fuel to the warm weather uptick in shootings, gun arrests were down about 17% last week and 30% over the 28-day period ending Sunday, compared to 2024, NYPD data shows. 5 Last week, on average, was the warmest in all of April, weather data shows. Kyle Mazza/NurPhoto/Shutterstock Advertisement Still, the spring-time surge didn't spoil the city's overall decline in shootings so far this year, with gunplay down 12% in the first four months of the year, compared to 2024, the stats show. There were 213 shootings in the first third of 2025, according to the latest overall figures updated Wednesday, on the last day of April. Murders, specifically, were down by 24% this year so far, with 92 deaths, the data shows. 5 This week's shooting victims included a 29-year-old Times Square food vendor who was shot and wounded following a fight over a backpack. @PokeandProdcast The warm weather uptick comes after the NYPD touted a 23% plunge in shootings in the first quarter of 2025, ending in March. If the Big Apple stays on this trajectory, New Yorkers could see the lowest number of shootings on record in nearly a decade — since 2018. Subway crime also cratered below pre-pandemic levels during that period — a milestone that NYPD Commissioner Jessica Tisch credited Thursday to a surge of cops in the system. And in January and February, the city shattered a 30-year record for the fewest number of shootings in the first two months of the year.
Yahoo
25-04-2025
- Yahoo
Bronx DA's Office organizes support event for victims of violence
FORDHAM, THE BRONX (PIX11) — Survivors of violence and families of crime victims gathered in the Bronx Thursday night in a show of support for each other. The gathering at an event space in the Bronx Zoo was organized by the Bronx District Attorney's Office, with help from the unit that offers support services to victims. More Local News Bronx District Attorney Darcel Clark told PIX 11 News, 'The Bronx events are so important, so Bronx folks can know they have each other.' The event comes as two New Yorkers were shot and killed in two days by bullets meant for someone else. Excenia Mette, 61, died Tuesday night after running outside on Lenox Avenue when hearing gunshots. She feared her 24-year-old grandson was in the line of fire. On Wednesday night, 28-year-old Daoud Marji died of a bullet wound to his head on University Avenue in the Bronx. A 33-year-old woman was shot in the hip and survived. Both of the Bronx victims were also innocent bystanders. Darcel Clark said, 'We are trying to get to the root causes of why so many young people are deciding it's okay to put up guns and shoot at each other. We are losing a generation of people.' Yanely Henriquez attended the Bronx gathering for victims and victims' families. Her 16-year-old daughter, Angellyh Yambo, was also an innocent bystander shot to death while walking home from school in the Bronx in April of 2022. Henriquez told PIX 11 News, 'To be honest with you, I'm numb, it's something that's happening so many times that it's like a norm, and that's a problem. When things like that become a norm, there's something wrong, and we have to fix it. I don't know what's going to fix it, but we need to do better for our community, we need to do better for our kids.' Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
New York Post
24-04-2025
- New York Post
Harrowing footage shows the moment trailblazing NYC bodega owner shot dead in crossfire
Heart-pounding footage shows the moment a beloved former Harlem bodega owner was fatally caught in a hail of bullets Tuesday night after she heard gunshots and rushed outside to check on her grandson. Excenia Mette, 61, was shot in the head by a bullet intended for someone else and was later pronounced dead at an area hospital, according to police and law enforcement sources. Surveillance footage from a nearby business shows Mette stepping outside Tamara's Beauty Bar — a salon on the first floor of her apartment building — around 10:30 p.m., looking around and then trying to retreat back inside as more gunfire erupted — but failing to make it in time. 7 Security footage captured Excenia Mette outside her bodega in Harlem on April 22, 2025. Instead, the cherished community member crumbled to the ground in the heartbreaking video obtained by The Post. The shooting that claimed the life of the innocent bystander and wounded another victim started when an argument between two men escalated into a gun battle. One suspect pulled a gun first, leading to a brief struggle, sources said. The second suspect then brandished his own gun and opened fire — with one of his shots hitting Mette, according to sources. The 47-second clip shows other bystanders scurrying to safety behind parked cars after the sound of two gunshots initially went off, while Mette poked her head outside the salon at West 113th Street and Lenox Avenue. She then walked a few steps further outside and appeared to shout something before another series of gunshots went off, the video shows. 7 Mette attempts to run inside as another round of bullets are fired in the shootout. 7 Mette falls to the ground after being struck by one of the bullets. The grandmother was struck and fell onto the sidewalk in front of the salon's door as she attempted to run back inside to safety. Another man then emerged on the security video and took a tumble before quickly getting to his feet and ducking for cover, the harrowing video shows. Mette, who was affectionately known as 'Zeenie,' was left lying on the ground for several seconds before anyone rushed to check on her, according to the clip. At least eight shell casings were recovered at the scene during the police probe. 7 One of the suspects runs away after the shooting. 7 Mette poses inside her store 'Momma Zees.' For Black Owned/Facebook Loved ones told The Post it was within Mette's character to rush outside to make sure her grandson was safe, even if it led to her tragic death. Nearly 24 hours after the fatal shooting, a makeshift memorial was set up with flowers and prayer candles that spelled out the letter Z and a heart shape outside the beauty salon. A large piece of cardboard was hung on the front of the salon, which was closed on Wednesday, with several heartfelt, hand-written messages praising and remembering Mette. 'We love your soul, Momma Zee,' one message read. 'Fly high, my love.' 'You taught me how to be a gentleman, without a Pops,' another read. 'I miss you so much already,' a third tragically said. Mette became a pillar in her Harlem community as the former owner of Momma Zee's Food to Plez Deli, which she ran for around four decades. She opened up her trailblazing business in the 1980s, making it the first woman- and black-owned bodega in the Big Apple. The deli closed after it couldn't survive the COVID-19 pandemic. 7 Police officials investigate the scene where the fatal shooting took place late Tuesday night. Kyle Mazza/NurPhoto/Shutterstock 7 Mette takes a picture with a customer inside her deli before posting the image to Instagram. mommazees123 /Instagram One suspect allegedly involved in the gun fight, Darious Smith, 23, was arrested by authorities. He suffered a gunshot wound to the foot. The second gunman, who is responsible for killing Mette, remains on the lam Wednesday night.
