Early Monday morning on April 15, 2024 a violent shooting incident took place in the Bronx, New York City, claiming the life of one Venezuelan national and critically injuring another. The shooting happened near a McDonald’s located at East 149th Street and Morris Avenue in the Mott Haven area of the Bronx.
NYPD Chief of Detectives Joseph Kenny reported that the victims, Adrian Mendoza, 24, and Jhombeyker Bisbal, 31, were seated in their 2015 Nissan Rogue at around 4 a.m. when a gray Honda Civic bearing Virginia plates pulled up alongside them.
A passenger from the Civic stepped out, walked past the vehicle occupied by Mendoza and Bisbal, returned, and then fired at Mendoza from the driver’s side, hitting him in the head and torso. The assailant then moved to the front of the car and fired multiple shots through the windshield, hitting Bisbal in the chest, arm, and shoulder, before escaping on foot. The police discovered 12 9 mm shell casings at the scene and counted eight bullet holes in the Nissan Rogue.
The victims were quickly transported to the Lincoln Hospital. Mendoza succumbed to his injuries, while Bisbal remained in critical condition, battling for survival.
Interestingly, neither Mendoza nor Bisbal had a history of arrests in New York. They both, however, had prior encounters with U.S. Customs and Border Protection. Mendoza was arrested in Texas in August, while Bisbal was detained in May.
Upon investigation, the police found wire transfer receipts in the victims’ possession, indicating they had been sending money to Colombia. Chief Kenny, however, could not confirm whether the victims were linked to a migrant robbery ring involved in stealing phones, unlocking them, and shipping them to Colombia.
The motive behind the shooting incident remains unknown. The incident has increased concerns about security and underscored the importance of vigilant community policing in the Bronx and beyond.
The NYPD continues to investigate the case and is actively seeking the shooter and the gray Honda Civic involved in the incident. No arrests related to the case have been made to date.
