A Law and Order crew member has died following a shooting on the set of the show in New York City.
Johnny Pizarro was sat in his car on the set in Brooklyn’s Greenpoint neighbourhood when the shooting took place at 5.15am local time on Tuesday (19 July).
The 31-year-old had been hired as an outside agent to clear and save parking spaces for trucks involved in the making of Law and Order: Organized Crime, and was sitting on North Henry Street when the shooter opened the door of his car and fired multiple times.
Pizarro was struck in the head and neck, according to the New York Police Department, just 45 minutes before the show was scheduled to film in the area.
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The crew member was taken to hospital at NYC Health + Hospitals / Woodhull and pronounced dead within an hour of the shooting.
Production on the show was cancelled for the day, and pedestrians were kept away from the scene of the crime by police caution tape.
Police told the New York Post the suspect was a short, thin man who was last seen wearing a black hoodie and black trousers.
People who knew Pizarro have paid tribute to the 31-year-old following the news of his death, with co-worker Cisco, who has known the crew member since college, telling Variety he was dedicated to the six children that he was raising in Ridgewood, Queens.
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“He was a good guy, not a troublemaker,” Cisco said. “This is the safest neighbourhood out of all the five boroughs. New York City is unpredictable."
Fabien Levy, press secretary for New York City Mayor Eric Adams, told Variety the safety of New Yorkers is the mayor's 'top priority'.
In a statement issued after the shooting, Levy continued: "No shooting is acceptable, which is why we are working every day to get illegal guns off New York City streets. The NYPD is actively investigating the fatal shooting of a crew member of ‘Law and Order: Organized Crime’ early this morning.
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"We offer our deepest condolences to the victim’s family, friends, and coworkers during this difficult time, and will work diligently to bring the suspect to justice and stem the tide of gun violence we are seeing."
A local church in the area, Church of Christ at Greenpoint, opened its doors for the day for counselling and prayer for those impacted by the events.
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Emily Brown