Police: 2 Killed In Shooting Outside Hamilton Heights Deli

NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) -- Two men were gunned down outside of a deli Sunday morning in Hamilton Heights, police said.

Kenny Jimenez, 21, and Francisco Mercedez, 29, were at Broadway and West 151st Street just before 3 a.m. when a white sedan pulled up and someone opened fire, police told 1010 WINS' Glenn Schuck.

Jimenez, who lived on the block, was shot in the neck and pronounced dead at the scene, police said. Mercedez, who lived in the Bronx, was shot in the back, cops said. He was pronounced dead at Harlem Hospital Center.

Detectives released surveillance photos of the white four-door sedan and the suspect believed to have pulled the trigger. He was shown wearing a grey hooded sweatshirt, camo shorts and white sneakers.

Friends and family gathered Sunday night for a vigil in memory of the two, CBS 2's Matt Kozar reported.

Among the crowd of nearly 200 hovering around candles and photos of Jimenez and Mercedez was Miguel Mercedez, struggling over the death of his brother.

"I felt like I lost everything," he said. "I lost everything, that was role model. I looked up to him."

A longtime friend of the men told Schuck he had seen them both just an hour earlier.

"I was just hanging out," the man said. "Me and Kenny, we were sharing fries. Yeah, we were sharing. We was eating together. I gave him a kiss on the head. I went to work."

Fior Beras said she was with the pair before they were killed. She said she didn't see the gunman's face, but heard the shots, Kozar reported.

"...And we turned and they were both on the floor," she said.

Residents said there is hardly ever violence like Sunday's shooting in the neighborhood and that the two men must have been targeted.

"The violence is unnecessary," said resident Ramon Acosta Jr.

Police are now blanketing the area with flyers, hoping someone recognizes the shooter and comes forward.

There have been no arrests. The investigation is ongoing.

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