Man dies after trying to stop suspects from breaking into his car in Queens
EAST ELMHURST, Queens (WABC) -- A man was killed after he attempted to stop two suspects from breaking into his car in Queens.
Officials say the initial break-in attempt happened just after 3 p.m. at 85th Street and 25th Avenue near Gorman Park.
Mauro Chimbay, 43, was at the intersection when he discovered one male suspect exit a white BMW and break into his vehicle, a white Toyota Highlander parked in the street, in an attempt to steal it.
A witness told Eyewitness News that somebody heard the sound of glass shattering and yelled out to Chimbay that someone was trying to break into his car.
"Just for something like that to happen is weird and for something like that to happen in front of a lot of people is even more weird," eyewitness Kevin Gonzalez said. "No idea what it was, but they did take something."
Police say the suspect then got back into the white BMW and Chimbay tried to stop the two suspects from fleeing.
As Chimbay held onto the hood of the BMW, he was thrown from the vehicle, causing him to suffer severe trauma to his head.
Surveillance video shows that white BMW speeding away and neighbors running over to help the injured man.
Chimbay was taken to Elmhurst Hospital where the loving husband and father of two daughters was pronounced dead.
His brother spoke to Eyewitness News and said that Chimbay was playing volleyball with friends when things took a tragic turn. Francisco Chimbay said his brother loved his family and he was fun and happy.
Francisco says he hopes the people involved are found and brought to justice.
Police are looking for the suspects who fled in the BMW northbound on 85th Street. The BMW is said to have had a Massachusetts license plate.
There are no arrests and the investigation is ongoing.
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