Bellone Unveils New Effort To Combat Gun Violence After Shooting

CENTER MORICHES, NY —A day after a shooting outside a Center Moriches supermarket left two men injured, one critically, Suffolk County Executive Steve Bellone revealed a new program to help combat what he called the "scourge" of escalating gun violence.

The new partnership with Crime Stoppers is a program to help remove illegal firearms from Suffolk County, Bellone said: $500 in "fast cash" will be offered to anyone in Suffolk County who provides a tip that leads to gun seizure or an arrest; individuals with tips should call 1-800-220-TIPS, Bellone said. The money will be awarded in 72 hours if the tip, which can be anonymous, results in the seizure of guns, or an arrest, he said.

"We will do everything we can to attack this aggressively and remove illegal guns from our streets," Bellone said.

Gun violence is on the rise, with illegal guns in the streets of many communities throughout the region, Bellone said. This past weekend alone, there were six shootings in five of the towns in western Suffolk, leaving two dead.

"This was a violent weekend on Long Island," he said.

This year, search warrants executed by SCPD have resulted in the seizure of 44 illegal handguns — a 63 percent increase from the same time last year — and 34 shotguns and rifles were seized, a 10 percent increase from the same time period last year, Bellone said. In addition, there has been a 48 percent increase in shootings countywide, he said.

At the Center Moriches shooting, Bellone said, four illegal handguns were seized.

Three men were arrested after the shooting in the parking lot outside a Lidl supermarket in Center Moriches Sunday, police said.

According to Suffolk County Police, the incident took place outside the store, located at 812 Montauk Highway, at 4:05 p.m., when, following a verbal altercation, two men shot each other.

Acting Suffolk County Police Commissioner Stuart Cameron added new details to Sunday's timeline: Four men were driving in a black Mercedes and pulled into the parking lot because two of the passengers were having an argument, he said.

The passengers got out of the Mercedes, the argument escalated, and the two men shot each other, Cameron said. One fled in the black Mercedes, crashed into a guardrail, and overturned, Cameron said.

A Suffolk County Police officer noticed the vehicle, went to administer first aid, and saw that the man had been shot; he recovered a handgun from the vehicle, Cameron said. That man, who Cameron did not name, was charged with second-degree criminal possession of a weapon, Cameron said. He was hospitalized with serious injuries, police said.

The other person shot was found on the ground and taken to the hospital in critical condition, Cameron said.

The two other men who had been in the Mercedes fled the scene; witnesses gave descriptions and officers set up a perimeter, police said. K-9 units were also called, police said. Next, residents reported "suspicious people in the area" and officers were able to apprehend the remaining two who had been in the Mercedes, police said.

K-9 units recovered two additional handguns that had been concealed, police said.

Nigel Copeland, 20, of Medford, and L’Andre Simmons, 21, of Wyandanch, were both charged with second-degree criminal possession of a weapon, and Simmons was also charged with seventh-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance, Cameron said.

At the time, on a Sunday afternoon, many members of the community were out shopping, Cameron said. One woman, shopping with her children, described her terror at hearing gunshots with Patch.

The two men who were not injured were held overnight at the Third Precinct and were arraigned at First District Court in Central Islip on Monday, police said.

Montauk Highway was initially closed in Center Moriches between Belleview Avenue and Mill Pond Lane for the investigation Sunday afternoon, police said.

Additionally, the area surrounding the supermarket was also closed, police said.

Cameron said shootings at house parties remain a concern, as well.

William Harwood, a representative for Lidl, issued a statement after the shooting: "At Lidl, the health and safety of our team members and customers is our top priority. This afternoon, we were informed about a criminal incident that occurred in the area surrounding our store. In coordination with local authorities and in support of their investigation, we have closed our store for the remainder of the day. We will continue to fully support the Suffolk County Police Department as they conduct their investigation."