2 men found in flipped car in Mount Vernon were shot

MOUNT VERNON, N.Y. (WABC) -- Police say the two men found dead after a BMW flipped over in Mount Vernon Wednesday had been shot before the crash.

According to the Mount Vernon Police Department, the incident is now being investigated as a homicide since the two men were shot.

The driver has been identified as Allashun Clay, age 27, of Manhattan. The passenger has been identified as Kevin Shaw, age 26, of the Bronx.

Shaw was a former assistant basketball coach at Concordia College who had once pursued a career in finance.

The driver lost control and flipped on East Third Street just after 4 a.m. Wednesday. Exclusive surveillance video shows the BMW traveling along East Third Avenue. It is unclear when the two were shot.

Mount Vernon Police Commissioner Terrance Raynor said at a news conference Thursday that, "once the victims were removed from the vehicle, the medical examiner determined that these individuals had suffered at least one gunshot wound."

"We don't know if the individuals were killed as a result of the gunshot wounds they sustained or if the accident killed them," he said.

It is still unclear who shot the two men inside the car.

"This is an isolated incident. These two individuals appear to be targeted, not a random act," said Raynor.

Raynor said the driver had two forms of identification with his photo and each had a different name and date of birth.

The preliminary investigation suggests that the victims were in the car when they were shot. "Whether they were shot and continued driving on Third Street, or were shot right before the crash, is to be determined," said Raynor.

Nearby resident Mike Dickerson said he heard the crash. "I saw, like, (a) person's back so I said, 'are you all right? are you okay?' I got no answer, then all of a sudden here come the police and that is exactly what happened."

The two men in the car were pinned inside and pronounced dead at the scene. They had been leaving a strip club called Sue's Rendezvous where there had been a music release party.

Sources say Clay is a music producer from Harlem. The car was registered in Manhattan.

Investigators are trying to determine whether the driver lost control because he was shot at or fleeing shots fired a few blocks away.

Authorities also believe the two men were traveling at a high speed.

Police are combing through surveillance video from nearby homes and businesses for any clues about who pulled the trigger.

"I can guarantee you that young folks all over this city are trying to do the right thing, but we get a distorted view by the actions of a few," said Mount Vernon Mayor Ernest Davis.

Concordia College released a statement: "All of us at Concordia College are saddened by the news of Mr. Shaw's passing. He served as a part-time assistant basketball coach here for one season in 2010-2011, and left to pursue graduate studies."