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28-Year-Old Man Found Dead in Harlem Outside Minton's Playhouse

By Ben Fractenberg | April 22, 2010 11:32am | Updated on April 22, 2010 5:43pm
Minton's Playhouse on W. 118th Street
Minton's Playhouse on W. 118th Street
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By Ben Fractenberg

DNAinfo Reporter/Producer

CENTRAL HARLEM — The body of a 28-year-old man was discovered with a gun shot wound to the head outside a famous jazz bar Wednesday night, police said.

Officers discovered the man outside Minton's Playhouse on 118th Street, between Saint Nicholas Avenue  and Adam Clayton Powell, after responding to a 911 call about 11 p.m., the NYPD reported.

The victim, who was found with a gunshot wound to the head, was pronounced dead on arrival at the scene, police said.

Several residents of 118th street complained about rowdy young people hanging out in front of Minton’s at night.

“Kids from other neighborhoods come here and get into fights,” said Jerry Williams, 47, who has lived two buildings down from the jazz club for 20 years.

Minton’s owner Earl Spain said police came into his club after the shooting with a picture of the victim. Spain said the man would sometimes hang out at the bar on Monday nights, but that didn’t know his name.

Spain also said he has complained to police about young people loitering outside his establishment.

There are no current suspects and the officers were waiting to notify the man's family before identifying the body, police said.

Kelvin Nunez, 31, was walking down W. 118th Street around 2:00 a.m. when he saw police loading the body in the van.

"I was shocked,” said Nunez. “It's the first time I've seen a dead body lying right there in the middle of the street."