On a Queens street in the light of a Friday afternoon, a journey ended in a hail of bullets, stealing the life of Angel Caraballo, a 26-year-old male. It was around 11:45 a.m. on November 20, 2020, near the hustle and bustle of JFK Airport, when the black Nissan Maxima that Caraballo was driving became a target. An unidentified vehicle pulled alongside, and gunfire erupted, striking Caraballo in the neck and shoulder.
The car, now without a driver in control, veered into oncoming traffic before crashing into a fence.
Inside the vehicle with Caraballo was his 26-year-old stepbrother, Nair Vives, who was also fatally shot. In the backseat, a 28-year-old woman and a 4-year-old boy, who were not hit by the gunfire, sustained minor injuries from the crash. Emergency services rushed both Caraballo and Vives to Jamaica Hospital, but their wounds proved to be fatal. Investigators believe the shooting may have been gang-related, noting that Vives was a member of the Bloods gang and had a criminal record. In contrast, Angel Caraballo had no criminal record and no known gang affiliations. The motive for the shooting remains unclear, and as of the latest reports, no arrests have been made in connection with the double homicide. The investigation is ongoing as police continue to seek information from the public.
In a separate and unrelated tragedy, another young man from Queens named Angel Caraballo, this one 19 years old, lost his life to gun violence. On June 25, 2021, at approximately 1:00 p.m., Caraballo was seen entering a building on Beach 56th Place in Arverne. Moments later, he emerged, holding his side, having been shot in the torso. He tragically collapsed about three blocks away, near 112 Beach 59th St.
Officers from the 101st Precinct responded to a 911 call about the shooting and found Caraballo at the scene. He was quickly transported to St. John's Episcopal Hospital, where he was pronounced dead. The motive for this shooting also remains a mystery to investigators. In the aftermath of the incident, the NYPD released security camera footage showing two individuals they identified as persons of interest. One was described as a Black male wearing a black hooded sweatshirt, dark jeans, and black sneakers. The other was also described as a Black male, wearing a white t-shirt, blue jeans, and black sneakers. Both were seen on camera running down a stairwell at the location where Caraballo was shot. To date, no arrests have been publicly announced in this case.
