Brownsville Street Death Deemed 'Homicide'

BROWNSVILLE, BROOKLYN — Kareem Heron, a 27-year-old from Canarsie, was found shot in the head in Brownsville late on the night of Aug. 16, according to the New York City Police Department (NYPD).

And more than a week later, on Aug. 24, the department announced that Heron's death was being considered a homicide.

A police investigation found that Heron, listed as a resident of 34 Paerdegat 14th Street in Canarsie, was hit in the head by one of over a dozen bullets fired outside 255 East 93rd Street around 10:30 p.m.

The gunshots activated the ShotSpotter system — a network of sound monitors set up in high-crime neighborhoods to detect gunshots and allow the NYPD to respond more quickly.

When police arrived to the shooting that killed Heron, they said they found the young man lying on the ground with a gun on the ground next to him.

Emergency responders took him to Kings County Hospital, where he was pronounced dead.

No arrests had been made as of Thursday afternoon, police said, and an investigation into the shooting was ongoing.

Heron was killed in the NYPD's 67th Precinct, which covers East Flatbush and parts of Brownsville. Through the middle of August, major crimes in the 67th were up approximately 7 percent compared to the same time period last year.

Gun violence is running especially rampant in the 67th: Police data shows shootings are up a staggering 37 percent so far in 2016. A total of 49 shooting victims were recorded in the precinct through Aug. 14, compared to 35 shooting victims during the same period in 2015.

Anyone with information regarding Heron's murder can confidentially report it using the NYPD’s Crime Stoppers website or by anonymously calling the Crime Stoppers hotline at 1-800-577-TIPS (8477).

Los hispanohablantes pueden llamar 1-888-57-PISTA (74782).

Tips can also be messaged to the NYPD by texting 274637 (CRIMES), then entering TIP577.

Pictured at top: East 93rd Street, where police discovered Heron's body. Image via Google Maps