In the spring of 2023, a burst of gunfire shattered the afternoon calm in the Canarsie neighborhood of Brooklyn, leaving a young man's life cut tragically short. Nelson Ortiz, a 24-year-old Hispanic male, was standing in front of the Midway Deli and Grill on Avenue L near East 95th Street on April 17th when he was fatally wounded. The brazen daylight attack occurred at approximately 4:15 p.m., just a block away from where Ortiz lived.
Two gunshots struck Ortiz in the torso, and he was
rushed to Brookdale University Hospital Medical Center. Despite the efforts of emergency responders, he succumbed to his injuries and was pronounced dead at the hospital. Witnesses at the scene described seeing two individuals with dark complexions fleeing south on East 95th Street immediately after the shooting. One of the suspects was reportedly wearing a yellow sweater and yellow sneakers, while the other was dressed in a blue hooded shirt adorned with yellow stripes.
The investigation into the murder of Nelson Ortiz progressed over the following months, culminating in an arrest on June 25, 2023. Authorities took 21-year-old Dalair Badine, a resident of Brooklyn, into custody in connection with the fatal shooting. Badine was subsequently charged with murder and criminal possession of a machine gun. Further details regarding a potential motive for the shooting or whether law enforcement is seeking any other individuals have not been made public.
