2 people killed in separate incidents involving scooters in the Bronx
MOUNT EDEN, the Bronx (WABC) -- Police are investigating two deadly incidents involving scooters in the Bronx as authorities crack down on removing the illegal vehicles that cause a nuisance to communities.
The first involved four people shot in Mount Eden on Tuesday night, leaving one man dead. Then hours later a man on a moped died after a crash.
Both incidents involved mopeds and have police focusing on suspects on scooters.
That shooting unfolded when gunmen riding scooters fatally shot one person and wounded three others.
The four victims, men between the ages of 23 and 37, were standing on the southwest corner of East Mount Eden Avenue and Townsend Avenue at around 6:15 p.m.
NYPD officials say two rear passengers, one on each scooter, pulled out guns and fired 10 rounds at the victims.
Three of the victims were shot in the leg. The fourth victim, 29-year-old Miguel Doleo, was shot in the chest and leg and later died at a hospital.
The suspects, who wore masks and hoodies, fled on the scooters heading northbound on Townsend Avenue towards the Cross Bronx Expressway.
Police said they believe the shooting was gang related.
Then hours later, a 34-year-old man was killed when he crashed his scooter near Waring and Barker avenues.
Officials say the man drove the wrong way down a one-way street at around 9:30 p.m. When police tried to pull him over, the man crashed into an SUV, a parked vehicle, and a light pole.
The man suffered a medical episode and was later pronounced dead at Jacobi Hospital.
Since Jan.1, police say 9,500 scooters, dirt bikes, and ATVs have been confiscated. 2,500 of those confiscations happened in the Bronx, and 1,300 arrests were made involving people who use scooters to commit crimes.
Officials held a news conference after the shooting, acknowledging that scooters are often involved in illegal activity, which they believe justifies a crackdown.
"There is a direct relation to people riding around on illegal scooters and committing crimes. And it's a careful balance for us because there are people legitimately riding around on scooters, working, you know, Uber Eats and different things like that. So it's a careful selection for us," NYPD Assistant Chief Benjamin Gurley said.
Police say a man was taken into the custody after the shooting, but it's unclear if he is directly tied to the incident.
ALSO READ | NYPD cracks down on illegal street vendor hotspot in Jackson Heights
----------
* Download the abc7NY app for breaking news alerts
Submit a tip or story idea to Eyewitness News
Have a breaking news tip or an idea for a story we should cover? Send it to Eyewitness News using the form below. If attaching a video or photo, terms of use apply.
