Bassiana Lawrence, a 27-year-old Black man, was fatally shot inside an elevator in Far Rockaway on the afternoon of Sunday, September 26, 2021. Officers found him about 4:36 p.m. inside an apartment building at 331 Beach 32nd St., six blocks from his home on Beach 26th Street. He had multiple gunshot wounds to his torso and arms and was shot a total of seven times. Emergency medical services took him to St. John’s Episcopal Hospital, where he was pronounced dead a short time later.

Investigators recovered shell casings and a gun at the scene and released grainy surveillance video showing two male suspects fleeing. As of early 2022, no arrests had been announced and no clear motive had been identified. Anyone with information about the shooting is asked to come forward.