Boy, 14, Shot Dead On Harlem Street In Targeted Attack, Police Say

EAST HARLEM, NY — Two teenage boys were shot, one fatally, on an East Harlem street corner Tuesday afternoon in a "horrific incident" that appeared to be a targeted attack, police officials said.

The boys, ages 14 and 15, walked into a deli on East 128th Street between Park and Lexington avenues just before 4:30 p.m., NYPD chief of patrol Jeffrey Maddrey told reporters at the scene hours later.

The teenagers left the deli and began walking east toward Park Avenue — the older boy on a push scooter, the other on foot. At that point, an unknown male emerged on the corner of Park Avenue and fired a volley of gunshots toward the two boys, Maddrey said.

The teenagers ran toward the street to take cover, with the younger boy falling between two parked cars. A passerby stopped the older boy after seeing he was in distress, and called 911, police said.

Officers responding to the scene found the younger boy with a gunshot wound to the head. He was rushed to Harlem Hospital, but could not be saved.

Police identified the slain 14-year-old as Justin Streeter, a resident of Plainfield, N.J. The older boy, who was shot in the leg, was expected to survive.

The unidentified gunman fled on foot toward Madison Avenue, but police were unable to track him further, Maddrey said. The boys were apparently targeted by the assailant, though it was unclear if they knew the shooter personally, Maddrey said.

Maddrey begged anyone who had information about the killing to contact the NYPD with information.

"I just want to make a plea to New York, to Harlem, to Northern Manhattan: please, if you’ve seen anything … we need your help," he said. "We cannot allow this gun violence to continue."