NYC migrant allegedly shot 2 residents in the Bronx

UNIVERSITY HEIGHTS, Bronx (PIX11) – A migrant shot two people and injured another during a brawl between squatters and longtime residents of a Bronx apartment building, authorities said.

The victims, Claretha Daniels, 44, and Justin Lawless, 36, were hanging out with neighbors outside the complex at 2290 Davidson Avenue in University Heights around 12:15 a.m. on May 24 when Daniels told her friends that one of the migrants “disrespected” her, according to NYPD Criminal Investigation Chief Joseph Kenny.

“A comment was made. She was bothered by it,” Kenny said, adding it was unclear what was said.

Then three of the longtime residents confronted the group of migrants who had been living in abandoned apartments in the building for six months, police said. The migrants then went into the building to get their friends and returned with knives and baseball bats.

During the fight, Josue Silva allegedly pulled out a gun and shot a 40-year-old man in the arm before shooting Daniels and Lawless in the chest as he ran from the scene, Kenny said. The victims died in hospital.

“As he runs past them, he hits them both in the chest and kills them both,” Kenny said.

Silva, who is from Venezuela, has not yet been arrested. He is believed to be connected to a non-fatal shooting in the same building where a migrant shot himself in the hand on Feb. 24, authorities said. The migrant told police that Silva gave him the gun.

“They are squatters. They (the migrants) broke into the vacant apartments,” said Kenny.

Provide police with information by calling Crime Stoppers at 1-800-577-TIPS (8477), visiting crimestoppers.nypdonline.org, downloading the NYPD Crime Stoppers mobile app, or texting 274637 (CRIMES) and then entering TIP577. Spanish-speaking callers are asked to dial 1-888-57-PISTA (74782).