A Venezuelan immigrant who operated a mobile car wash was shot and killed in Queens on Friday night. Local residents suspect that a dispute over territory related to the business may have sparked the violence.
Jairo Javier Vinces-Covena was targeted by a gunman on a moped near his home on 55th Street close to 97th Street in Corona around 8 p.m., according to police reports.
His body was discovered with multiple gunshot wounds, and the sidewalk was left stained with blood.
Emergency responders transported the 36-year-old to Elmhurst Hospital, where he later succumbed to his injuries.
No arrests had been reported as of Saturday evening.
Luca Estrella, who runs the Estrella Auto Care Center, mentioned that the victim had been in the U.S. for about three to four years and initially started washing cars with friends on street corners.
“Last year, there was a serious altercation that resulted in someone being stabbed,” Estrella recounted. “He was an ambitious young man involved in buying and selling cars.”
Estrella speculated that the shooting might be connected to his work.
“It feels like a power struggle going on,” he noted. “You see mobile car washes on nearly every block. It’s like a battleground.”
He added that the victim always seemed cheerful.
“To me, he was always friendly, greeting me with a smile,” Estrella reflected. “I never thought of him as someone aggressive or vengeful.”
Neighbors recounted hearing gunfire followed by a woman’s screams.
“I heard three shots in quick succession, and shortly after, I heard someone yelling ‘Oh my god!’ in Spanish,” shared a neighbor who wished to remain anonymous. “It sounded like a female voice.”
The witness stayed inside but saw police arriving from their window.
“I’m scared,” the neighbor admitted. “It feels like there’s a lot of chaos around here. It’s always something.”
