FORDHAM — A 16-year-old boy was shot and killed and another teen was injured in a fight on Jerome Avenue on Christmas Eve, police said.
Shots were fired after two groups of men were fighting near Jerome Avenue and East 182nd Street just before 11 p.m., according to the NYPD. The two groups of men fled, according to police and witnesses.
Police later found Justin Morris, 16, in front of 2270 Jerome Ave. — just steps from his apartment on West 182nd Street — with multiple gunshot wounds in his back. He was pronounced dead at the scene, the NYPD said.
Another 19-year-old was found at the corner of 183rd Street and Jerome Avenue with two gunshot wounds in his back, and one to his buttocks.
He was taken to St. Barnabas Hospital and is in stable condition, police said.
Betty Teaque said she was in her ground-floor apartment on the corner of Buchanan Place and Jerome Avenue Thursday night when she heard an argument break out before 11 p.m.
Earlier, cars had parked under the 4 train on Jerome Avenue to play music, which is common, she said.
"Then all of a sudden all the music stopped," she said, and she heard fighting followed by five gunshots.
"Then people started saying, 'run, run, run.'"
The groups split up, with three men running towards East 182nd Street and others up to East 183rd, she said.
A memorial on Jerome Avenue for 16-year-old Justin Morris, who was shot and killed Christmas Eve after a dispute, police said. (DNAinfo/Katie Honan)
Morris ran back and collapsed in front of a bakery on Jerome Avenue, she said. There was a small memorial there with candles on Christmas Day, and friends had also set up a memorial around the corner on Walton Avenue.
Police are still investigating. No arrests have been made.
