This time it was a drive-through shooting rather than a drive-by shooting that caused bloodshed in eastern Queens.
Tasheen Walker of Queens Village was ordering some food at a McDonald’s drive through when the man behind him in line began honking his horn because he was tired of waiting. After Walker received his meal, he allegedly shot the inpatient man, 29, with a .380-caliber weapon, striking the man in the left side of his abdomen, according to Detective Jovoda Cooper, the community affairs officer at the 105th Precinct.
She spoke about the incident at the Community Board 13 meeting on Monday.
The shooting took place on April 8 at 11 p.m. at the Mickey D’s at 216-07 Linden Blvd. in Cambria Heights. Walker fled in a dark-colored sedan northbound on Springfield Boulevard. The victim was taken to North Shore University Hospital in Manhasset, where he was listed in stable condition at the time.
Police from the 105th Precinct were able to track Walker down by tracing the credit card he used to pay for his food and examining security camera footage, Cooper said.
On April 20, plainclothes detectives staked out Walker’s house. When the suspect showed up, things took a violent turn, according to Cooper.
The detectives approached Walker when they saw him sitting in a car and pursued him on foot as he fled northbound on 222nd Street, the NYPD said. The detectives noticed the suspect tugging at his waistband as they approached, at which point Walker allegedly turned and pointed a loaded .380-caliber Taurus firearm in their direction.
“As they were approaching the car, the guy gets out, he realizes that these are detectives or these are cops and not just anybody walking the streets,” Cooper said. “He tries to backpedal his way back, he pulls out a gun on them, they pull out their guns and they end up shooting the perp.”
Walker was shot by one of the detectives at 8:45 p.m. and the bullet struck him in the left side of his torso. He was taken to North Shore University Hospital just like his alleged victim, where he was in stable condition as of Saturday, police said.
The police also confirmed that the three detectives were taken to North Shore for trauma and minor injuries. Walker has been charged with criminal possession of a weapon and menacing.
Asked why Walker was not being charged with attempted murder for shooting the man at the restaurant, a spokeswoman for the Queens District Attorney’s Office said, “This is what he is charged with at this time and we are not going to comment further.” A spokeswoman for the NYPD said it is possible the reason is that the victim has chosen not to testify against his assailant.
Maria Fitzsimons contributed to this story.
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