Popular sneaker dealer killed in SoHo, police say

Friends of Javier Osorio-Mejia, such as Andre Saunders, said they could not believe the 31-year-old was killed in a robbery that police believe may have gone wrong.

“He was a very well-liked and respected guy. No problems,” Saunders said. “He was a good person. He wasn’t involved in any bad things. He wasn’t unpopular. He was a humble guy. A good guy.”

Police said the victim was returning home to Bayonne, New Jersey, from a club in Queens around 5:15 a.m. Tuesday.

According to sources, he stopped to urinate on Greene Street between Grand and Broome in SoHo.

That’s where the robbery took place.

“It’s surreal to hear the news. I had to come here and see for myself what was going on,” said Osorio-Mejia’s friend “Pop.”

Police sources believe Osorio-Mejia may have been followed by the club robbers.

After he came out, he was reportedly shot in the leg.

He was taken to Bellevue Hospital where he died.

“It’s kind of wild,” said Adam Sanders, who passed by the scene on Tuesday.

People like Sanders said they were shocked that the murder took place in SoHo, the cobblestone streets lined with upscale luxury stores.

The latest crime data from the NYPD shows that there have already been two shootings this year in the 1st Precinct, which includes SoHo. Tuesday’s shooting is not included in the data.

Last year there were none.

“Situations like this are prime examples of why our government needs to step in to put a little more control and restrictions on people’s access to guns,” Sanders said.

Friends said Osorio-Mejia was a popular sneaker reseller and owned the Vault 134 store on Orchard Street, about a half-mile from the crime scene.

Friends gathered where the store once stood and lit candles in his memory.

Saunders said the 31-year-old is close to signing a lease on a new store and reopening in time for back-to-school shopping.

“He was a king in this world,” Saunders said.

Now the memory of the business they built together near the same place where Osorio-Mejia died is clouded.

“We slept in front of the same store and camped there while we waited for sneakers. I slept in the same car with this man more times than I can count,” Saunders said.

It is unclear what the robbers stole.

Anyone with information is asked to contact Crime Stoppers at 1-800-577-TIPS.