The 2024 Homicide Victim List is available here

NYPD were called to the area of 619 West 135th St on the report of a shooting on January 7th at approximately 6:22pm.

Police arrived to find an injured 39-year-old man inside the driver’s seat of a Honda Civic, suffering from a gunshot wound to the chest. The victim was rushed to Mount Sinai Morningside Heights Hospital, where he was pronounced deceased.

The victim has been identified as 39-year-old Omar Espinal, who police say known to police as a drug dealer

In 2013, Espinal was charged with intent to sell cocaine and a charge of criminal sale of a controlled substance in the first degree, also in 2013.

Police said Espinal left his home in Hudson Heights at around 5:30 p.m. before parking his car on 135th Street at approximately 6 p.m. Around that time the alleged shooter began circling the block in an SUV before parking behind the victim at around 6:12 p.m.

NYPD Chief of Detectives Joseph Kenny said “The perpetrator walks up to the passenger side of the car, opens the door, reaches in. There’s a struggle and a shot is fired. We have a very strong person of interest involved in this case.”

Update February 7th
Tyrone Holley was arrested on February 5th, and is facing charges of murder, manslaughter, criminally negligent homicide, assault, and criminal possession of a weapon. 

No arrests have been made. Anyone with information regarding this incident can call Crime Stoppers at 800-577-TIPS.