A man working for the production crew of the US show Law & Order: Organized Crime has reportedly been shot and killed.
The victim has been identified as 31-year-old Johnny Pizarro of Queens, according to an New York Police Department press release.
Pizarro is reported to have been contracted to do parking enforcement for the production company and was sitting in a car at the film location in Brooklyn when an unknown gunman allegedly opened the car door and fired a weapon, according to NYPD Detective Sophia Mason.
Detective Mason added that the gunman ran off while emergency responders attended to the victim and conveyed him to Woodhull Medical Centre nearby, where he was pronounced dead.
In a statement, NBC and Universal Television, which produces the series, said they were "terribly saddened and shocked to hear that one of [their] crew members was the victim of a crime early this morning and has died as a result."
The statement read: "We are working with local law enforcement as they continue to investigate. Our hearts go out to his family and friends and we ask that you respect their privacy during this time."
Local resident Janus Czuj, 60, said he thought the police response to the scene was part of the show's filming.
“This morning I woke up and saw the police officers,” Czuj said. “I thought it was a fake crime scene.
“I didn’t think it was a real tragedy. … I tried to walk dogs here and saw the tape and thought, ‘Oh, it’s a movie.’ But this was a real shooting.”
Law & Order: Organized Crime stars Christopher Meloni as Detective Elliot Stabler and concluded its second season in May.
New York City Mayor Eric Adams said in a statement Tuesday: “We offer our deepest condolences to the victim’s family, friends, and coworkers during this difficult time, and will work diligently to bring the suspect to justice and stem the tide of gun violence we are seeing.
“The safety of all New Yorkers is our top priority. No shooting is acceptable, which is why we are working every day to get illegal guns off New York City streets.”
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