Aug 3, 2009 8:23 am US/Eastern
Elderly Woman Killed In Crossfire On Coney Island
Police Say Anna Surman, 87, Was Fatally Hit In The Throat By Bullet Intended For Someone Else
NEW YORK (CBS) ―
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87-year-old Anna Surman was struck down by a bullet of a nearby gun battle while she was in her courtyard of her Coney Island apartment.
CBS
A manhunt is under way Monday morning for the gunman whose bullet claimed the life of an innocent elderly woman.
The 87-year-old was gunned down in front of her apartment building on West 31st Street on Sunday afternoon, not far from the famous Coney Island boardwalk.
The manhunt for the killer includes pleas for the public's help, posted on poles and blared over loudspeaker. There is a cash reward of up to $2,000.
Anna Surman was in the courtyard of the apartment building when she was killed by a stray bullet fired by a man who, police say, was firing at someone else.
Witnesses said that they saw Surman feeding cats in the courtyard at Surfside Gardens, where two of the buildings house seniors. Vladislav Yeremya lives in the second floor overlooking the Courtyard.
"I heard bam, bam, bam, three shots," Yeremya said. "When I look out my window, I see the woman."
Paramedics found Surman shot in the neck. She was taken to Lutheran Hospital where she was pronounced dead-on-arrival.
Residents are tired of living with the constant threat of gunfire, and now a longtime resident – who they say lived alone, kept to herself and loved animals – is gone.
"We don't understand all the nonsense that is going on with the guns, but it really needs to come to a close," community activist Sheila Smalls said.
Anyone with information about this crime is urged to call CrimeStoppers at 1-800-577-TIPS.
Police have not yet released a description of the suspect.
CBS 2's Dave Carlin contributed to this report.
(© MMIX, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)
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