In the borough of Queens, New York, a burst of gunfire shattered the afternoon calm, leaving a young man dead and several others wounded. On September 18, 2022, Edwin Naula, a 28-year-old male, was fatally shot in a drive-by attack in the Elmhurst neighborhood. The incident unfolded just after 1:00 p.m. as Naula stood with a group of men outside a residence on Warren Street.
Two assailants on a moped reportedly rode past and opened fire on the group.
Naula suffered multiple gunshot wounds to his torso and was rushed to Elmhurst Hospital Center, where he was pronounced dead. Three other men with him were also struck by the gunfire. A 28-year-old was hit in the hand, a 26-year-old in the cheek and arm, and a 32-year-old in the torso. All three were transported to the same hospital and were listed in stable condition. Investigators believe the shooting was connected to an ongoing dispute between rival street gangs in the area.
In the weeks that followed, the New York Police Department identified two suspects in the deadly shooting. On October 5, 2022, detectives arrested 24-year-old Juan Garcia. He was reportedly the driver of the moped used in the attack. Garcia was subsequently charged with second-degree murder, three counts of attempted murder, and criminal possession of a weapon.
The second suspect, identified as 34-year-old Juan Hernandez, remains at large. Police have continued to seek information from the public to locate Hernandez, offering a reward for any tips that lead to his arrest and conviction.
