Queens, New York - In a brazen early-morning assault, a 31-year-old Queens resident was shot and left in critical condition during an apparent targeted home invasion robbery, according to law enforcement officials and sources.
The incident unfolded around 5:30 a.m. on Wednesday, at the victim's residence situated on 62nd Avenue near 138th Street in Flushing. Reportedly, a group of eight masked assailants surrounded the house, as detailed by police.
Video footage, obtained through the homeowner, offers a chilling glimpse into the perpetrators' tactics. The group systematically split into smaller units, attempting to breach the front, side, and back entrances of the residence, sources within the police force revealed.
Despite the assailants' efforts, one member managed to break through the front window and gain access to the premises. However, the resilient victim valiantly resisted, attempting to force the intruder back outside, authorities recounted.
At this critical juncture, one of the accomplices positioned outside the home discharged a firearm, striking the victim in the chest and arm, as per official police statements.
In the wake of the violent encounter, the assailants made off with $800 in cash and an iPad before fleeing the scene, authorities confirmed. Four of them fled in a getaway SUV, while the remaining four made their escape on foot, law enforcement reported.
The critically injured victim was swiftly transported to NewYork-Presbyterian Queens Hospital, where he is currently receiving treatment, according to police sources.
The victim's downstairs neighbor, speaking to The Post later in the day, recounted the harrowing experience. "They came in and say where is the money?" the neighbor disclosed. "They take the phones and they say be quiet and they break the window upstairs and they make a gunshot. I could not move they said don’t move they said stay there and be quiet."