Skateboarder wounded in leg during road rage shooting in Queens

Wednesday, June 21, 2023
SUNNYSIDE, Queens (WABC) -- An apparent road rage incident ended with a man on a skateboard getting shot in Queens.

Officials say the shooting happened at around 11:45 pm Tuesday at 47th Avenue and 39th Place.
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The 25-year-old skateboarder crashed into a navy blue BMW, which led to an argument, police said.

Things turned violent when a passenger in the car pulled out a gun and shot the skateboarder in the leg. Authorities say the driver then fled southbound on 39th Place.

The victim was taken to Elmhurst Hospital with a non-life-threatening injury.

Paul Belaspeguy installed a camera because he was concerned about people shooting off fireworks -- but that footage ended up capturing the sound of the shooting.



"Well it's kind of surprising because this technically is a calm neighborhood, but with the crime rising, its kind of surprising that something like this happened around this area.," Belaspeguy said.

Other local residents said they are alarmed by the shooting and other instances of gun violence.
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"I don't feel safe, not only here in Sunnyside, Queens, everywhere," resident Lina Laura Gomez said.

Shootings are fairly rare in the area. This shooting brings the count up to four, which is on par with last year.

Shootings are down 25% citywide this year, but residents in the Queens neighborhood say the statistics are cold comfort after the shooting in the neighborhood where crime is relatively low.

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