Deadly Queens Shooting Is City's First Homicide Of 2017, Cops Say

NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) -- Just two days in the New Year, NYPD detectives on Monday were already investigating the first murder of 2017.

As CBS2's Ali Bauman reported, the shooting in South Ozone Park, Queens left one man dead and his brother severely wounded.

Investigators Monday morning scoured the sidewalk for evidence on 124th Street near Liberty Avenue in Queens. A boot, a loafer and car keys were among the items left behind after what police said was the city's first homicide of the New Year.

"Boom, boom, boom -- like five times," said neighbor Mammy Ramsaroop.

Ramsaroop said she awoke to five gunshots around 3:30 a.m. According to police, two brothers were walking home when they were confronted by two men – one of them with a gun, the other sitting in a parked sedan.

Police said the suspects demanded money from the brothers, and when they refused, one attempted thief shot Rocky Kalisaran, 31, in the back and killed him. The suspect also shot Kalisaran's 24-year-old brother in the chest and left him wounded, police said.

"She woke up. She called me right away; said come home right now," said Rahul Sing.

Sing was at work when his 16-year-old sister called him to say he saw the fight just outside their front door. He said she was panicked and did not say much, except, "'I saw someone get shot,' so yeah, that's all."

Authorities said the brothers had just left a nearby nightclub. Residents on the block said it is common for people to park nearby on weekends.

"Everyone comes out and they park their cars here and walk to the club," said Richard Ramasroop.

Police said after the shooting, the suspects drove off in the bark-colored sedan and actually crashed on 103 Avenue and Lefferts Boulevard, but kept driving towards the Belt Parkway.

The 24-year-old brother was in the hospital on Monday, and police were asking anyone with information about the whereabouts of his attackers to call.