By Olivia Scheck
DNAinfo Reporter/Producer
HARLEM — A man identified as the owner of a Harlem lunch spot died after being shot three times, police said.
Fernando Suriel, 52, of Yonkers, was sitting in the driver seat of a red GMC truck near the corner of East 131st Street and Lexington Avenue when he was attacked by the gunmen around 5:35 p.m. Saturday, according to the NYPD.
He was struck once in the left arm and twice in the right leg and taken to Harlem Hospital, where he was pronounced dead on arrival, police said.
Suriel was identified by neighborhood residents as the owner of Fernando’s Deli and Lunch on Lexington Avenue and 100th Street.
The deli was closed Sunday morning following the incident. Nearby residents said they were shocked and saddened to hear about Suriel's passing.
"That's a shocker," said Natonio Ray, 45, who lives nearby and works at the bus depot across the street from the deli. "They were really nice people in there."
Ray said the deli opened about four months ago and recalled Suriel stopping by the depot to hand out flyers.
John Rinard, 50, who lives next door to the deli, described it as a family-run establishment, with Suriel and his son, who appeared to be in his 20's, often behind the counter.
"He was always back there cooking," Rinard said. "My daughter loved the breakfast there."
Police said there had been no arrests in the case as of Sunday morning.
