Two men were killed in a shooting in the Soundview section of the Bronx late last night. Police were still piecing together what happened as the sun came up over the scene. The deadly gunfire left a neighborhood shaken and prompted a large police response.
The victims were later identified as 53-year-old Egbert Rutherford and his friend, 43-year-old Curtis Brown. Rutherford was remembered by his family as a generous man, with his wife of 13 years among those grieving at the scene. The two friends were both caught in the gunfire on the same block.
Police said officers responded to a call of an assault at 1643 West Chester Avenue just after 10 last night. The call brought officers to the scene moments after the shots were fired. News crews arrived shortly after, capturing the early aftermath.
Police say the victims were found with several gunshot wounds throughout their bodies, having been shot multiple times. The two men were located down the block from each other, according to authorities. Both were rushed to Jacobi Hospital, where they were pronounced dead.
At the scene, a neighbor's cries for help could be heard as people tried to assist the wounded. One voice was heard pleading with a man to hold on, urging him to keep breathing. The desperate moments unfolded before police and medics could reach the victims.
Evidence markers were spread throughout the scene as investigators documented what had happened. Some of the markers were placed around a white car, though it was unclear who the vehicle belonged to. Detectives worked to collect and catalog the evidence left behind.
The shooting happened in a busy part of the Bronx, with multiple businesses nearby and the Morrison Avenue station just down the block. As the area came to life in the morning, several questions remained about what led to the violence. Police said the investigation was ongoing.