Man Shot 'Execution Style' on Busy NYC Street (Update: Victim Dies)

A 31-year-old man has died after being shot in the head in a bustling area of midtown Manhattan, WNBC-TV reports. An uncommon crime considering that the area in which the murder was committed is near Columbus Circle, a popular destination in New York City, the Monday afternoon shooting is certainly shocking.

The shooting occurred around 2 p.m. near 58th and Seventh. The victim died shortly after arriving at Roosevelt Hospital Center. Police report that the suspect immediately fled the scene of the attack and has not yet been located by authorities.

According to WNYW-TV, a gunman wearing dark clothes approached the victim before shooting him "execution style." Then, he stepped into the passenger side of a vehicle and drove off; police are subsequently looking for two suspects. The New York Times City Room blog has more about the crime:

Benny Harris, who sells pedicab tours on the corner near the shooting, said he heard a single shot and saw pedestrians scatter.

Mr. Harris, 44, immediately sought help from a nearby fire station and went with first responders to the man, who was lying on 58th Street between Seventh and Eighth Avenues. “He looked dead,” Mr. Harris said.

Another man who was on the corner at the time said he heard a single shot but never saw the shooter.

WCBS-TV adds that the victim was reportedly in a vehicle at the time of the shooting and that authorities are purportedly seeking a car, which was used by the perpetrators to escape the scene.

Individuals who were present when the event unfolded are corroborating police claims that the suspect drive up in a car, shot the man in the head and then sped away. According to some witnesses, the car may be a gray or Lincoln MKZ.

This story has been updated.

This is a breaking news story. Stay tuned for updates.