In the late afternoon of October 1, 2021, a burst of violence shattered the peace in a Sunset Park, Brooklyn apartment building lobby. Twenty-one-year-old Jorge Sanango was inside the building on 46th Street between Fifth and Sixth avenues when he was shot in the chest. The incident occurred at approximately 4:53 p.m., prompting a swift response from emergency services after a 911 call was made. Paramedics arrived at the scene to find the young man with a life-threatening injury.
He was rushed to NYU Langone Hospital-Brooklyn, but tragically, his wounds proved fatal, and he was pronounced dead.
Initial reports from the scene described three suspects, all dressed in black and wearing masks, fleeing the location. They were last seen heading eastbound on 6th Avenue, disappearing into the neighborhood as police began their investigation. The area was soon filled with the sound of helicopters hovering overhead as authorities searched for those responsible for the fatal shooting. For those who knew him, this was not the first time Sanango had been a target of violence; sources familiar with the investigation revealed it was the second instance in just over three months that he had been shot at that same address. He was also an alleged gang member.
The investigation into the shooting continued for over a year. Then, a significant breakthrough occurred. Police arrested 20-year-old Jessie Medina in connection with the murder. Following the ongoing investigation, Medina was charged with murder and criminal possession of a weapon. The arrest brought some semblance of progress in a case that had left a community shaken and a family grieving the loss of a young life.
