CONCOURSE VILLAGE — A 21-year-old father of two girls was eating a bowl of rice and broccoli on the stoop of an East 162nd Street apartment building Monday night when he was shot twice in the head and killed, cops and friends said.
Marcos Cabral, who relatives said worked in the cafeteria of the Bronx Zoo and an area bodega, was found lying outside 287 E. 162nd St., near Morris Avenue, about 10 p.m. with two fatal gunshot wounds, according to the NYPD.
Cabral was pronounced dead at the scene, cops said.
"He was a good child. I have no emotions. I'm in shock. I can't believe it," said his 48-year-old mother, Belgica Cabral.
"I'm gonna miss him a lot. I'm destroyed. I'm hurt," she added, choking back tears.
The younger Cabral is survived by his two daughters — aged 1 and 2-years-old — and the mother of his children, Vierka Jorge, 34.
"He was a great father," Jorge said through sobs. "He was the best boyfriend in the world. I felt protected by him. He made me feel secure."
It is unclear what sparked the violence. Police said they do not have any suspects, but added that they are continuing to investigate.
Friends speculated that the murder may have stemmed from a dispute Cabral and Jorge had with another couple that had spanned several years.
"He got caught up in the streets, but he wasn't a trouble maker," said friend, Denise Ravel.
Cabral helped support his mother, Ravel said, and without him, the family is now struggling to pay for their bills. He said he didn't know how they would be able to pay for his funeral.
Anyone with information is asked to call Crime Stoppers at (800) 577-TIPS (8477).
