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NYPD Searching For Red Car Seen Leaving Scene After College Student Left To Die In Queens

NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) – A 19-year-old college student was shot and left on the street to die Wednesday in Queens.

Now, police are trying to track down a car that was caught on camera leaving the scene.

A passerby found Jay Patel unconscious around 1 p.m. in front of a house on 268th Street in Floral Park – just two blocks from his own home.

Police believe the Nassau Community College business student was dumped there in broad daylight after being shot in the stomach.

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Police are searching for a red car that was seen on video leaving the scene after 19-year-old Jay Patel was dumped on a Queens street and left to die. (Credit: CBS2)

"People are in shock, people cannot believe this happened here," Floral Park resident Lillian Rackoff told CBS2. "How could someone do something like that to another human being? How could anybody to that to – to me, he's a child. How could someone do that?"

"We have two kids that live here. For years, there hasn't been anything like that, you don't really hear that stuff around here," resident Hillary Escalona said.

Patel was later pronounced dead at the hospital.

The car – possibly a red Toyota Camry – was seen driving away down 268th Street.

"To take the body and dump it there – beyond my mind," said resident Andy Kucevic.

"I just want to know why they did this here. If they killed this person somewhere else, what's the purpose of dumping the body here?" resident John Schau added.

Investigators visited the victim's family, who saw the police activity in the area but didn't know the deep personal impact.

Neighbors hope tracking down the red car will lead to more answers, helping give the family some closure.

"We all are speechless and shocked," said neighbor Fouzia Uddin, who gave police the surveillance video of the vehicle.

Anyone with information about Patel's death is asked to call NYPD's Crime Stoppers hotline at 1-800-577-TIPS (8477) or 1-888-57-PISTA (74782) for Spanish. You can also submit a tip via the Crime Stoppers website, by Tweeting @NYPDTips or by texting a tip to 274637.

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