On a Saturday afternoon, the life of 19-year-old Melvin Ureña was tragically cut short in the Melrose section of the Bronx. It was around 1:30 p.m. on July 2, 2022, when Ureña was riding a scooter at the intersection of East 156th Street and Melrose Avenue. Suddenly, a gray Honda Pilot pulled up, and two individuals emerged from the vehicle with weapons drawn.
At least one of the assailants opened fire, striking Ureña in the head and right leg.
The brazen daytime shooting left the young man critically injured. Emergency medical services rushed him to a nearby hospital, but his wounds proved fatal, and he was pronounced deceased. The shooters quickly got back into their vehicle and fled the scene, traveling eastbound on East 156th Street. Ureña and his father had moved to the United States from the Dominican Republic just four years prior in search of a better life.
In the wake of the shooting, the New York Police Department launched an investigation, releasing surveillance footage to the public in an effort to identify the suspects. The investigation led to the arrests of two individuals. Francisco Bengochea, 19, and Fransys Ramirez, 25, were taken into custody in connection with the fatal shooting. Both men were subsequently charged with murder for their alleged roles in the death of Melvin Ureña. The case against them is proceeding through the justice system.
