In a crowded barbershop in AOC's district, a gunman suddenly bursts in and starts shooting.
A barber is being hailed as a hero after confronting the suspects.
On Friday, a group of armed suspects broke into a barbershop in Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez's district in New York City and shot a man. The incident caused workers and customers to flee the premises and take cover on the street.
A legal immigrant from the Dominican Republic, who is a father of seven, stopped the suspects and wrestled with one of the gunmen, giving the fleeing man enough time to find safety in the barbershop. Local officials are hailing him as a hero.
A gang-related shocking incident occurred on Roosevelt Avenue in Queens, a busy commercial strip known for its open-air prostitution and other forms of crime, with some residents comparing the neighborhood to a Third World country.
On Friday, a video recorded at 103-17 Roosevelt Ave.'s Langumas El Cache Barbershop showed a man standing inside the shop at approximately 5:45 p.m. When suddenly, the suspects entered the establishment.
Rafael Abreu confronts the suspects at the front door of the barbershop after they attempt to escape to the rear.
One of the suspects, who is armed, lunges towards his target and draws a gun.
WATCH: New York City street lined with prostitutes soliciting sex
The tussle ensues before the perpetrator hands off his gun to one of the other suspects, and Abreu grabs the armed suspect.
A hooded man with a gun enters the barbershop and fires at least one round.
The trio escaped the building and are still at large, according to police. The man targeted in the incident was not harmed, and no injuries were reported. No arrests have been made, and the investigation is ongoing, authorities say.
A former New York state senator and district leader, Hiram Monserrate, claims the shooting is just another crime incident in the area.
Rafael Abreu, the local barber who turned hero and saved lives during the shooting on Roosevelt Avenue, deserves the key to the city for his exceptional bravery, according to Monserrate.
"Rafael, a true New Yorker, risked his life to save a stranger. Watch Rafael in real-time as he defended the target of gun-toting gangsters and his colleagues at the Roosevelt Avenue Barbershop."
The 115th Precinct has experienced a 18% increase in overall crime over the past two years, with the neighborhood becoming infamous for its red-light district atmosphere, where scantily clad women solicit sex on sidewalks and illegal vendors overrun trash-filled streets, as reported by Planet Chronicle Digital.
In an effort to combat crime and restore law and order, New York City Mayor Eric Adams launched "Operation Restore Roosevelt" last month, which involves more than 200 additional NYPD officers and state troopers patrolling the commercial strip.
Even with a significant police presence, the Roosevelt Avenue corridor is still "under criminal control by cartels and gangs," according to Monserrate.
Monserrate says, "The fight to reclaim our streets persists. These criminals possess firearms. You could be heading to the 7 Train or getting a haircut and become entangled in the violence."
"Had Rafael Abreu not intervened, there would have been at least one casualty and possibly more. He is a true hero that all New Yorkers can be proud of."
The barbershop situated in New York's 14th District, which is represented by Ocasio-Cortez, did not receive a response from her office when Planet Chronicle Digital requested comment on the incident or any crime stories related to Roosevelt Avenue in 2021.
Monserrate says Ocasio-Cortez is not helping local efforts to tackle crime.
The founder of the local safety group "Let's Improve Roosevelt Avenue," Ramon Ramirez-Baez, believes that the incident highlights the need for a permanent increase in police presence.
"We understand that without safety we have nothing," Ramirez-Baez said.
"Rafael Abreu's workplace is where this young man was fortunate to encounter the police officers who must remain on Roosevelt Avenue beyond the 90 days."
Curtis Sliwa, a local activist, criticizes the widespread prostitution on the streets of NYC, particularly in AOC's district.
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