Innocent bystander killed in Harlem, one of several weekend NYC shootings

HARLEM, Manhattan (WABC) -- A family and community are heartbroken after a woman who was well-known in her community was shot and killed in Harlem.

Police say she was an innocent bystander, killed amid a rash of shootings over the weekend.

61-year-old Odessa Simms was outside with her husband Saturday night on Lenox Avenue and 144th Street playing cards.

Investigators say her husband went to bed and minutes later shots rang out.

A gunman targeting someone else opened fire, with two of the bullets hitting Simms. She was struck in the neck and killed.

One man said he was sitting hear her when it happened.

"A fellow in dark clothing came from behind a car shooting at another fellow and she went down," he said.

Members of the community came out to mourn the victim Sunday night at a local park.

"Something is wrong when we have to in our own community fear sitting out on a bench playing cards and checkers and chess on a nice summer night, that we have to worry about young people playing with guns," said Iesha Sekou, Street Corner Resources CEO.

It was one of several shootings in New York City over the weekend.

While police were investigating the Simms shooting, shots rang out a few blocks away about two hours later.

Two men were wounded, but are expected to survive.

At about 1:30 a.m. Sunday, police in Brooklyn found a 30-year-old man fatally shot inside a park at Stillwell Avenue and Avenue V.

He had multiple gunshot wounds to the head and chest He has been identified as Daquan Spencer, who had been attending a party in the park.