Police said the 19-year-old was shot in the chest in Belmont Wednesday afternoon.
BRONX, N.Y. — A 19-year-old man was fatally shot Wednesday afternoon in the Belmont section of the Bronx, near a day care center, and police said three suspects in hoodies fled the scene on scooters as detectives searched for answers.
The shooting, reported just after 2 p.m. at East 183 Street and Hughes Avenue, shook a busy block where families pass day care drop-offs, restaurants and small businesses. Investigators said the gunfire left shell casings scattered near the curb and prompted crime scene tape to go up as parents arrived to pick up children. No arrests were announced early Thursday, and police said they were still working to identify the shooters and a possible motive.
Officers responding to calls about gunfire found the victim on the street, unconscious and unresponsive with a gunshot wound to the chest, authorities said. He was taken to St. Barnabas Hospital in critical condition and later died. Police identified him as Lamar Simmons, a Bronx resident. A man who was nearby told local reporters he heard four to five shots and did not hear an argument before or after the gunfire. “It just happened,” the man said, describing a sudden burst of shots that left people looking around in confusion.
Investigators said three men were being sought. Police described the suspects generally as wearing hoodies and said they were last seen leaving on scooters. News footage from the scene showed detectives moving between parked cars and the taped-off sidewalk, with evidence markers placed near the roadway. Residents gathered behind the tape, watching as officers spoke with witnesses and looked for surveillance cameras that might have captured the attack or the escape route. The neighborhood, with steady foot traffic in the middle of the day, offered both potential witnesses and a complicated scene to sort through, authorities said.
Relatives said Simmons had been heading home from school and was expected to join family members for dinner when he was shot. His sister, speaking outside the hospital, described the moment the family arrived and learned how serious his injuries were. “Me and my mom just broke down once we went into the emergency room,” she said. She called him the youngest in the family and said the loss felt unreal. She also described him as bright, saying he used words that surprised her. “He was a smart kid,” she said, adding that his death left the family searching for an explanation.
His father, standing nearby, said the family did not know why Simmons was targeted. “We don’t know,” he said. “We’re still trying to answer questions we can’t even answer right now.” A longtime neighbor said Simmons was respectful and not involved in gangs, and the neighbor raised the possibility that the shooting could have been a case of mistaken identity. Police have not publicly discussed whether Simmons was the intended target, and they have not announced any known link between the victim and the suspects.
The shooting unfolded near a day care facility that was wrapped in police tape as detectives worked. “It’s scary,” said a resident who gave her name as Kiara. She noted the presence of children on the block and said the violence felt especially alarming because families rely on the area for child care and daily errands. Another neighbor said the constant fear is changing how children experience the neighborhood. “It’s a lot of kids in this neighborhood, and they can’t go outside,” the neighbor said. “They can’t go to the park.”
Police said they were searching for at least three men connected to the shooting. News 12 reported that one suspect was last seen in a blue hoodie with white lettering, a black jacket and white sneakers. A second suspect was described as wearing a red sweater, a black jacket and white sneakers. The third suspect was described as wearing a black jacket, gray sneakers and a black mask. Detectives were urging anyone with information, video or photos from the area around East 183 Street and Hughes Avenue during the early afternoon to come forward, according to reports, as investigators tried to match descriptions to surveillance footage.
The block where the shooting happened sits amid closely packed buildings and storefronts, and residents said they have grown used to police activity even as the latest killing felt different because of the time of day and the proximity to the day care. Parents walking with children paused near the tape line, and several residents pointed toward nearby cameras mounted on corners and above entrances. Investigators typically canvass such areas for video that can show the approach of suspects, the moment of the shooting and the direction of flight.
As of early Thursday, authorities had not released details about the weapon used, whether shots were fired from close range, or whether the attackers said anything during the encounter. Police also had not said if the suspects were seen riding one scooter or multiple scooters, and they had not released surveillance images. Officials said the investigation remained active and that detectives were continuing to interview witnesses and review evidence from the scene and surrounding businesses.
Community members said the killing added to a sense of unease in Belmont. Some residents described hearing gunfire at other times, but said the shooting near a day care in the middle of the afternoon made the danger feel closer. Others said they worried about children seeing violence or being caught in the wrong place at the wrong time. Several people at the scene said they hoped the case would move quickly because of the number of potential cameras and witnesses in a busy neighborhood.
Police said no arrests had been made and the suspects remained at large. Detectives were expected to continue reviewing video and following leads through Thursday as they worked to identify the shooters and determine why Simmons was attacked.
Author note: Last updated March 5, 2026.