A father of two from Long Island was shot and killed in a targeted attack at a local park, prompting a lockdown at a nearby hospital due to a subsequent altercation involving police and a friend of the victim.
Lonnie Booker, 43, suffered a gunshot wound to the chest at Robert Rowley Park in North Bellport around 7:30 p.m. on Tuesday, according to the Suffolk County Police Department.
He was taken to NYU Langone-Suffolk in East Patchogue, which is about three miles from the incident, but unfortunately, he was pronounced dead upon arrival.
Police Commissioner Kevin Catalina indicated that there was a prior relationship between Booker and the shooter, with surveillance footage showing the suspect escaping the scene in a red car.
“This looks like a targeted attack, and the two individuals were acquainted,” Catalina mentioned.
As of now, no arrests have been made, and detectives are urging anyone with information to reach out to the Suffolk County Police’s Homicide Squad.
Shortly after the shooting, tensions escalated at the hospital. According to reports, Booker’s friend, Emmanuel Mayo, followed him there and got into a confrontation with an officer.
Mayo, 37, reportedly pushed an officer when attempting to enter the hospital and resisted arrest when officers intervened. This led police and hospital staff to restrict visitor access while they dealt with the situation.
Mayo is facing charges of second-degree harassment and resisting arrest.
Following the incident, a memorial was created for Booker at the park, where family and friends gathered to pay their respects.
“My cousin was a remarkable person, and it’s just tragic that he had to go like this,” Earl Parker reflected.
This shooting has sparked worries about safety at the park. Just a week prior, police detained seven individuals for trespassing after dark, including four with outstanding warrants, as noted by Brookhaven Supervisor Dan Panico.
Panico pointed out that the town has invested significantly in improving the park’s safety, which includes the installation of security cameras after community concerns about after-hours loitering.
Catalina acknowledged that Booker was the first homicide victim in the Fifth Precinct this year, reiterating that “one homicide is one too many,” and stressing the urgency of their ongoing investigation into this case.
