On the night of June 12, 2016, a gathering in a basement apartment on National Street in Corona, Queens, ended in the death of 24-year-old Rufino Perez Villa. Friends at the gathering had been drinking and engaging in playful fighting when 29-year-old Christian Penaloza brought a shotgun into the room. While Penaloza was showing the firearm to Perez Villa, the shotgun discharged and struck Perez Villa in the chest. Perez Villa was taken to Elmhurst Hospital and died the following day.

Police investigators determined the shooting to be accidental and concluded there was no evidence that Penaloza intended to kill Perez Villa. Penaloza was arrested and charged with criminally negligent homicide. Penaloza’s record was described as including prior arrests for drugs, burglary, assault, criminal mischief and robbery, and he was identified as a member of a gang. Another man at the scene, John Zhumi, was taken into custody on unrelated outstanding warrants.

If anyone who knew Rufino Perez Villa or was at that gathering has information that could clarify how the weapon came to discharge, please share what is known.