MANHATTAN — A father was killed and four other people were injured in what police believe was a gang-related "vendetta" shooting.
Shadale Graham, a 28-year-old father of a 7-year-old boy, had just left the 137 Bar and Grill, at 3379 Broadway, along with two men and two women about 11:15 p.m. when he had a brief argument with two men and walked away, an NYPD spokesman said.
The shooting may have been sparked by a gang-related fight, according to city Councilman Mark Levine, who represents the area.
Last night's shooting on 137th & Broadway, leaving 1 dead and 4 injured, appears to be gang-related vendetta. Video of suspects coming soon.
— Mark D. Levine (@MarkLevineNYC) February 2, 2015The councilman said that police have identified the suspects, who have extensive criminal records.
But Graham's mother, Yvonne Graham, 51, disputed her son's gang membership.
"He is not in a gang. They aren't in a gang. They're too old to be in a gang. He hasn't ever been in a gang," the grieving mother said.
"I wish they'd stop saying that," she added.
Graham and his friends were coming from the bar when they stopped to flirt with three women standing in front of the Crown Fried Chicken near the shooting scene, a source said.
Graham and the group, none of whose names were released, walked south and made it to a deli at 3345 Broadway when the two men came up from behind and opened fire, police said.
"I heard like five, 'Bang, bam, bam, bam.' There were some customers in front. They started screaming, 'Oh my God! Oh my God!' and I came up to the front," said deli worker Francisco Basquis, 33.
"I saw a man on the sidewalk. There was blood coming out of his head," Basquis said.
Graham, of Central Harlem, was shot in the head and pronounced dead at the scene, NYPD officials said.
A 24-year-old man was hit in the right arm and ankle and was treated at Harlem Hospital along with a 22-year-old man who was hit in the torso and leg, police said.
The women they were with, two 21-year-olds, were both hit in the shoulder and treated at St. Luke's Hospital, police said.
They were all listed in stable condition, officials said.
"It was certainly a targeted shooting. they were looking for these guys." Levine, who spoke to the precinct commander, said. "The two women were innocent bystanders, caught in the cross fire."
The two shooters hopped into a nearby cab and fled the scene, police said.
They had not been arrested as of Monday morning, police said.
"The polices are treating it as like a vendetta shooting," the councilman said.
Graham's family and friends gathered at his home in Harlem to console his grieving mother.
"Everybody's crying and weeping and sharing stories," Yvonne Graham said.
Now, she has to take on the difficult task of burying her son, made harder without adequate financing.
"I don’t have money right now. I don’t have insurance," the 51-year-old said.
Her son, who's survived by his own 7-year-old boy, two brothers and two sisters, liked to have a good time with friends and relax at home, she said.
"He was a fun-loving, caring father," his distraught mother said.
