Playful act outside Brooklyn store costs life of a friend

New York Police Department said that a person fatally shot his 36-year-old friend outside a store in Brooklyn by mistake as the suspect considered the act as an attempt of robbery by the deceased who was trying to playfully take the shopping bags from the shooter.    

The incident took place at Sutter Avenue where the shooter later realised that he shot his friend Francis in the chest. The suspect later called 911 and apologised.

Authorities said that there is no arrest so far.

Police said that the incident started as some sort of misunderstanding. Police officials revealed that the shooter was outside the store holding two plastic bags when Francis playfully took them, but the suspect thought there was an attempt of a robbery and opened fire.

Ona call to 911, the shooter said: "I didn’t know it was you, I’m really, really sorry."

The shooter left the scene after staying for a while with his friend according to the investigators.

NYPD Chief of Detectives Joseph Kenny said: "At some point he hears the sirens and … leaves his friend to die."

Francis was taken to Brookdale University Hospital where his cause of death was said to be a cardiac arrest.

The deceased victim's aunt told the media that he was killed just a few blocks from where he lived with his mother.

"It broke my sister’s heart," a 65-year-old Philips said of the victim’s mother. "We're taking this kind of hard right now."

"He was very outgoing," Philips said. "He was very ambitious. That was his thing. He loved to work."

Francis had a 4-year-old daughter, whom Philips described as Francis’ motivation.

"It was all for her," she said. "He loves his daughter."