By Joe Rizza
Police are searching for suspects wanted in the shooting of a 20-year-old Queens Village man who was gunned down early Saturday morning on Roquette Avenue in Elmont. The man was taken to Winthrop University Hospital and later died. Another victim who was also shot and taken to Winthrop was released.
According to Nassau County Homicide, at 2 a.m. on Saturday morning, Sept. 23, several people were standing outside of 99 Roquette Avenue.
The victim who was fatally shot, Warren McCray, worked as a clerk at a local Mandees store. Police say they aren't actually sure why McCray was at that location on Roquette Avenue. "We know that there were several people in the area because there were a couple of kids home from college and were just hanging out in that vicinity," said Detective Sergeant Daniel Severin of Nassau County Homicide.
While the group of people, including the two victims, were standing outside, four vehicles containing occupants described as black males were seen cruising the area several times.
One vehicle is described as a 1997-1998 black, four-door Nissan Maxima, containing three to four black males. The second vehicle is described as a red 1990 Acura Integra with a hatchback, containing at least one black male. The third vehicle is described as a 1992-1994 black Honda Accord with tinted windows, containing several black males and the fourth vehicle is described as 1997-99 Eddie Bauer-style Ford Explorer with red on the top half and tan on the bottom half, containing four black males, according to Severin.
After the cars cruised the area three or four times in a caravan-type fashion with one following the other, the vehicles then stopped outside of 99 Roquette Avenue. At least two subjects then exited the black Nissan Maxima, said Severin. The subjects, according to Severin, made some derogatory comments to those standing outside, which were said to be five or six people, and then began shooting, striking one victim in the back and another in the back of the head.
Those standing outside did not know those in the cars, Severin said. However, the victim who was killed, he added, may have known the subjects since he was wearing very distinct clothing and had just arrived to the scene 15 minutes prior to the shooting. The others had been hanging there for approximately an hour.
The other victim who was hit is going to be fine, Severin said.
The incident doesn't appear to be the result of gang activity. However, the police aren't ruling anything out.
One subject is described as 5'7'', 150 pounds, wearing a black baseball cap and black shirt. Another subject is described as 5'9'', 130-150 pounds, wearing a baseball cap backwards and a dark velour shirt.
Police ask anyone with information concerning this incident to contact Crime Stoppers at 1-800-244-TIPS. All callers will remain anonymous.