According to the Daily News, a devastated friend shared the tragic story of a Bronx man who lost his life while attempting to save his best friend from a brutal assault by a group of muggers.
As the two friends were heading towards their meeting point at a bus stop on Seward Ave. near Pugsley Ave. in Castle Hill, a distressing encounter unfolded. Merkel Washington found himself face to face with three men and a woman, all armed with guns.
During the incident that occurred on Sunday at around 5:55 p.m., Washington’s close friend, Tyreek Moore, who is 24 years old, was just half a block ahead and quickly noticed his friend in a difficult situation.
Tyreek returned because he witnessed his best friend being assaulted. He hurried back to inquire about what had transpired. In response, the assailant asked him, “Do you want to die?”
According to the police, Moore lost his life while attempting to intervene in a mugging incident to protect his friend. The authorities have confirmed that the assailant’s gun initially malfunctioned.
According to Washington, he witnessed the shooter lifting the gun and attempting to fire it initially, but the gun failed to shoot. Subsequently, the shooter adjusted the gun and lifted it once more.
“We began to walk away,” Washington added.
“They didn’t have to shoot him at all. Tyreek didn’t show any aggression. He wasn’t trying to harm anyone. He simply asked, ‘What’s going on?’ That’s all he asked.”
The medics quickly transported Moore to Jacobi Medical Center, but unfortunately, they were unable to save him.
According to Washington, the gunman only managed to fire a single shot. He speculates that the criminal would have likely fired more rounds if his weapon hadn’t malfunctioned.
Tears streamed down his face as he recalled his friend’s final words.
“He exclaimed, ‘I’ve been hit,'” Washington recalled. “As soon as he landed on the ground, he immediately began to struggle to keep his eyes open. I did my best to keep them from closing. I reassured him, ‘Ty, I’m here with you, please don’t close your eyes.'”
“I’m screaming for help! Are all these private houses just going to ignore me?”
According to the authorities, the thieves managed to steal Washington’s cell phone and wallet. However, despite their demands, he adamantly refused to disclose the password. As a result, one of the assailants resorted to violence and struck him with the butt of his gun.
When Moore stepped in to help, he tragically lost his life. The muggers managed to escape and have not yet been apprehended. According to the police, the three male assailants were wearing black attire, while the female accomplice was dressed in gray.
According to law enforcement, Washington has been apprehended on 19 occasions, with charges ranging from robbery to assault.
Washington, who had been treated and discharged from the hospital where his closest friend had tragically passed away, joined his other friends at the shooting location on Monday morning.
“He was a genuinely good person,” Washington expressed. “Ty was the kind of person who didn’t pretend to love others. It’s just hard to believe he’s gone.”
The NYPD has released surveillance pictures of the suspects and is urging anyone with information to contact Crime Stoppers at 1-800-577-TIPS (8477).