Earlier this week we posted an item about a fatal shooting at 46 Madison Street, near the Alfred E. Smith Houses. This morning, the Village Voice has a few more details – and a plea from police for help in finding the suspect. According to the report, the victim was 28-year old Anthony Evans, a resident of the Smith housing development. Investigators now want to question this man, Pierre Hecker, 29, of 1295 5th Avenue in East Harlem. Hecker is 6’5″ and weighs 180 pounds.
The shooting happened at 2:53am Wednesday. Evans was transported to Beekman Hospital, where he was pronounced dead. The incident has received a good deal of attention because it happened up the street from NYPD’s headquarters. DNA Info spoke with residents about the perception that violence is on the rise in the neighborhood:
“You think this should be a really safe place because One Police Plaza is … there,” neighbor Miriam Colden said… Colden, 51, lives across the courtyard from where the man was shot and said she awoke to the sound of gunshots. “It was a lot of shots,” Colden said. “I can’t even count how many.” Julia Rodriguez, 57, who has lived in the Smith Houses her entire life, said there has been an increase in violent crime over the last two years. “These projects used to be so good and now it’s gotten so bad,” Rodriguez lamented Wednesday morning.
Anyone with information should call Crime Stoppers at 1-800-577-TIPS (8477).
