The shooting came days after a police sweep of the troubled park
The 43-year-old man shot and killed at a North Bellport park Tuesday night was targeted by someone he knew, and the shooting was captured on video, Suffolk Police told Greater Long Island.
Lonnie Booker, 43, of North Bellport, was shot once at Robert Rowley Park, about 7:28 p.m. on Tuesday, police said. He was taken to NYU Langone Hospital – Suffolk in Patchogue, where he was pronounced dead.
The suspect fled in a red sedan, a police spokesperson said. Investigators have not determined a motive, and no arrests have been made in the shooting.
Booker “was known to police,” the spokesperson said, not including details.
Arrest at the hospital
A separate, large disturbance broke out at NYU Langone Hospital – Suffolk after Booker was brought there, police and numerous witnesses said. The commotion led to a massive police presence at the hospital.
Booker’s friend Emmanuel Mayo, 37, of Riverhead pushed an officer while trying to get into the hospital, then resisted when officers moved to arrest him, according to police. He was charged with second-degree harassment and resisting arrest.
No weapons were recovered at the hospital, police said. Access to the hospital was limited for a period of time as a precaution following the altercation.
Numerous relatives and friends of Booker had arrived at the hospital. And following his death, there has been an outpouring of grief on social media over Booker’s death.
Tip sent to detectives
A woman identifying herself as Booker’s relative emailed Greater Long Island on Wednesday naming the person she believes is responsible for the shooting.
GLI forwarded the information to Suffolk Police. GLI is not publishing the name because no one has been arrested or charged in the case
Park under scrutiny
The shooting came less than a week after Suffolk Police and Town of Brookhaven Public Safety officers swept the park for after-hours activity.
On Sept. 23, seven people were found in the park after closing and were ticketed by the town for trespassing, police said. Four of the seven had outstanding bench warrants and were arrested by Suffolk Police.
Police said nothing indicates a connection between that enforcement and Tuesday evening’s shooting. The department has been focusing on quality-of-life issues at the park and offering services to people there, the spokesperson said.
Brookhaven Town Supervisor Dan Panico addressed the embattled park in a Facebook post Tuesday night, citing community concerns. He wrote that Suffolk County Legislator Dominick Thorne arranged for the county Department of Social Services to visit the park in recent weeks and offer housing assistance to people staying there, and that only one person accepted.
“We will continue to approach this situation with compassion, but compassion must be coupled with accountability,” Panico wrote.
He added that the town “will not allow any Town park to be overtaken by illicit activity,” and would not tolerate abusive behavior toward Parks Department workers.
Detectives are asking anyone with information about the shooting to call the Homicide Squad at 631.852.6392 or Crime Stoppers at 1.800.220.TIPS.
Top: Lonnie Booker (Facebook/Lonnie Booker) and Robert Rowley Park (Facebook/Dan Panico).
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