A Long Island father of two, Lonnie Booker, 43, was shot in a targeted attack at Robert Rowley Park in North Bellport around 7:30 p.m. on Tuesday, according to the Suffolk County Police Department. Booker was shot in the chest and was transported to NYU Langone-Suffolk in East Patchogue, where he was pronounced dead.
Suffolk Police Commissioner Kevin Catalina stated that Booker and the suspect were known to each other, and surveillance footage captured the suspect fleeing the scene in a red sedan. No arrests have been made, and detectives are requesting anyone with information to contact the Suffolk County Police Department’s Homicide Squad.
Following the shooting, an incident occurred at the hospital where Booker was taken. Emmanuel Mayo, 37, a friend of the victim, confronted an officer while attempting to enter the hospital. Mayo allegedly pushed the officer and resisted arrest, leading to a lockdown of the hospital until order was restored. He has been charged with second-degree harassment and resisting arrest.
A memorial for Booker has been established at the park, where friends and family gathered to mourn. Earl Parker, a cousin of Booker, expressed his grief, stating, "My cousin was an outstanding guy, and boom, he shouldn’t have died like that."
The shooting has raised safety concerns regarding the park. Just one week prior, police had arrested seven individuals for trespassing at the park after dark, including four with outstanding warrants. Brookhaven Supervisor Dan Panico noted that the town has made significant investments in the park, including the installation of security cameras due to community complaints about loitering.
Commissioner Catalina mentioned that Booker was the first shooting victim in the Fifth Precinct this year, emphasizing that “one homicide victim is one too many” and “one shooting victim is one too many.” The investigation into the shooting remains ongoing.